Human
by MelodyBellerose
Summary: Naru's been gone for three years, and Mai is definitely not over him. With help from both Madoka and Lin, she's learned to master her abilities, and with Gene's help, she's able to do it unconsciously too. Then Naru comes back... and something has changed. Story based around the song Human by Christina Perri, you'll see why later in the story. R&R please.
1. Chapter One

I remember the night terrors.

At first, I was determined to deal with it on my own. I'd shut Gene out and I didn't want to worry everyone else from SPR. Naru and Lin were back in England with Gene's body, so asking for their professional help was out of the question. I wouldn't have been able to talk to Naru after my confession anyway.

All of the night terrors dealt with Gene's body being pulled out of the lake. Every time I dreamt of it, I could feel Gene beating on the walls that I'd thrown up against him, but no matter how terrified I got, I never let him in. I couldn't face him. Not with so much doubt pestering my thoughts about the two of them.

_'Me or Gene?'_

He'd confused me so much with those simple three words. It wasn't until them that my mind registered that Gene was the one in my dreams, not Naru. He was right. Was it him or Gene? It would make sense for me to fall for Gene. Gene was just as mysterious as Naru, just nicer and genuinely kind. Naru had fake smiles while all of Gene's are real. Naru was rude while Gene was a gentleman. Naru had this knack for pointing out every one of my flaws while Gene had the habit of encouraging me.

Naru had made me doubt my own emotions and thoughts. I wasn't sure whether to be angry at him or congratulate him for being able to prove me wrong on the one thing I thought I knew best. It was like something in me had shattered. I'd held myself in such high regards when it came to my own emotions. I'd thought that I was completely reassured in my feelings towards the ice glacier of SPR. However, it appears I'd been proven wrong once again.

It wasn't until I'd fallen asleep in the office and was caught in the middle of a terror that I was able to fix myself.

* * *

_The body is slowly raised from the lake. I watched as the faded yellow blanket dripped and the weeds dangle off of it, as if begging to be put back in the comfort of the water. Certain places on it had holes, but all in all, it was well put together. The body was placed on the ground gently, and people were gagging from the smell, but I wasn't. I'd smelt it before. A flash of my mothers mangled and rotting corpse flits through my mind before focusing back on the issue at hand._

_Naru walks over and pulls back the blanket. Gene's rotting face is permanently engraved in to my mind. But instead of Naru justing turning away (like he'd done before) he continues to stare at the rotting body of his twin brother. My heart pounds as Gene begins to move. He slowly sits up and turns to me. A twisted smile stretches across his tattered and wither face._

_A scream lets loose and them I'm shook awake._

* * *

Madoka is staring down at me with a serious look on her face. She lets out a sigh, "How long have you been having these nightmares, Mai?"

I quickly sit up and smile innocently, "What are you talking about, Madoka? It was just a random-" My face is jerked to the right from the force of the slap. Tears spring to my eyes as my cheek begins to throb and I lift my hand to my face.

"Do not lie to me, Mai Taniyama." I'd never heard her this angry before. Actually, I'd never seen Madoka with anything but a smile on her face, that's why shock floors me as I watch the tears in Madoka's eyes begin to make their way down her face, but instead of sorrow, all I see is anger. "I know you better than you think, Mai. I know that you don't get any sleep since Oliver left. I know that you have nightmares about Gene and I also know that you're blocking Gene out." My face was now bright red from being found out, with snot and tears streaming down my cheeks and hiccups leaving me. She sighs and swipes at her face, erasing the tears, "Lin left shiki with me. I can control them as well, Mai. I had some of them check on you shortly after the men left, and they delved in to your dream. They saw it all, but I'd thought it was a one time thing. Obviously, it wasn't." She glares harshly at me, "So don't lie to me."

It was then that the damn broke. More tears stream down my face as I begin to sob, "I to-told him that I-I liked him and h-he rejected me. He sa-said that I-I loved Ge-Gene and I'm no-not sure if he's wr-wrong or no-not." I was sobbing in to her chest as she rubs my back.

"So basically, you confessed to Oliver and he questioned your infactuation with him and pawned it off on Gene. You're blocking Gene out because you are confused and you're having the same nightmare because that's when he said this, isn't it? The day you all stopped at that cabin and they found Gene." I nod, still sobbing, in to her shirt, and she sighs, "Mai, I don't think you realize that this is frankly a stupid thing to be upset over. It's as simple as this. Can you see yourself ever being with Gene?"

My sobs hault and I think about the question. Despite the obvious reason we'd never be together (he is dead, after all), Gene is just too... much like me. We'd get along great and I'd bet that he would be the sweetest person that I'd ever date, but there wouldn't be the fire there.

Gene would see the fire in my eyes, and he'd be content with it. He'd find a way to work around it. While Naru would see the fire in my eyes, and he'd want to play with it. He would want to see how high he can make the flame climb before he'd be satisfied. That's just something that goes along with Naru's personality.

While Gene is kind to everyone, for Naru there's only a few certain people. He doesn't treat everyone equally and that's what makes his attention all the more special. Naru always gave me his attention, whether it was to order me around, yell at me, or to insult me.

"It's Naru." I whisper, "It's always been Naru."

Madoka grins, "I figured." Her grin fault era and her serious look is back on her face, "Mai, listen to me. I have no earthly idea when Oliver is going to be back here in Japan, but I do know that your powers are getting stronger. I mean, you've been blocking Gene out for how long?"

"Since Naru and Lin took his body back to England…" I stifle, my nose still running form crying so much.

"So for about a month and a half now." Madoka grins, "No one ever taught you how to do that, and Gene is a pretty powerful spirit, Mai. How hard do you think it should be to shove a PK users twin out of your mind for over a month?" I shrug now, blushing furiously and staring down at my shoes. She laughs, before getting serious again, "Mai, your powers are only going to get stronger and stronger as you get older. Your instincts are going to come in handy, but you can't rely on them completely. I can help you with your powers and also teach you everything I know. As long as you're willing to learn."

Without hesitation, I said, "Yes, boss." She grins at me and I feel the walls that I have against Gene crash down. The empty feeling that I'd felt this past month and a half disappears, and I'm filled with feelings of warmth and calmness.

_'Welcome back, Gene.'_ I think, not expecting him to answer.

_'It's good to be back, Mai.'_ Gene reply's.

My shock must have portrayed on my face, because Madoka raises and eyebrow, "What is it?" I explain to her what happened, and she laughs, "It seems that with your powers increasing, you established a mental link with Gene. How interesting." She tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear, "Now then, you should get some sleep, Mai. You look dead tired, and it's almost closing time anyway. We'll start with your learning on Monday, but be warned, this is the last weekend you'll ever have off. So use it wisely."

"Yes, boss."

* * *

"Come on Mai!" Madoka shouts at me as I pant with my mouth wide open. My sweat pants were clinging to me and I could feel my hair dripping with sweat. Good thing I'd just worn a sports bra as a top. It was five o'clock in the morning and Madoka had me running for cardio. Apparently, being in shape was the first step. Madoka sighs and jogs back over to me, "Stand up, Mai, we only have a little ways left and then we'll eat breakfast. I'd think you'd want to have time to take a shower before school, right? Or would you rather go to school smelling like that?" That got me up and moving.

"That looks gross, Madoka." I say, glaring down at the food she currently had in front of me.

"Well, it's delicious." She says, her arms crossed over her over-sized chest, "I learned it from Eugene."

_'Try it, Mai.'_ Came Gene's calm voice, _'You'll like it, I swear._'

I sigh and pick up the fork that Madoka had put next to my plate. I twirl the noodles around the fork like I'd seen Madoka do and then picked it up and shoved it all in my mouth in one go. Tomato sauce bursts on my taste buds along with a little of pepper and some other flavorings.

I moan in delight and devour the entire plate. Madoka and Gene both laugh at me as I let out a satisfied burp.

* * *

"Do you understand?" Madoka asks, the large oversized book still opened to the page that showed the fire fox.

I nod, "Yes, boss." Madoka nods, before turning to the next page.

* * *

"Good to see you can keep up now." Madoka laughs breathly as we run down the street.

I grin, but keep my eyes ahead of me, "We've been doing this for almost a year now, Madoka! I can keep up perfectly fine."

She rolls her eyes and increases her speed.

* * *

"Mai, now!" Madoka yells through the walkie talkie and I recite the spell that she taught me. The spirit pauses and begins to thrash around as the spell takes hold and the spirit is cleansed.

I let out a sigh of relief and Madoka grins as she and the others walk in. Madoka gives me a quick hug, "Great job."

Monk wraps his arms around me and twirls me around, "That's my little girl!" Ayako hits him in the head, causing him to drop me. Yasu and John help me up as the two begin to argue. Masako rolls her eyes at them and I giggle.

The figure behind Masako appears before anyone can do anything.

"Masako!" We all yell as the possessed man grabs her.

Something in me grabs Masako and forces her to head butt the man in the nose and the turn around and kick him in between the legs. The man falls over and whatever it was that had grabbed her retreats back in to me.

"What was that?" Masako asks me, looking at me with large frightened eyes.

"I don't know." I say, confusion dancing through me.

* * *

"Wait, what?"

"PK-LP." Madoka says again, "It's psychokinesis on a living object. In your case, it was Masako. It seems the ability was pushed out when Masako was in danger."

"But why now?" I ask, confused, "Not just Masako, but everyone's been in trouble plenty of times that the ability would have been useful. Why is it that it was awakened by such a small issue? Monk or Yasu or even John could have helped her before the man would have done any real harm."

Madoka sighs, "I think it's because your connection with Gene is now present. This was the first case I've allowed you on since you began your learning process for ghost hunting. Since you have a connection similar to one that Oliver and Gene had, I think you adapted to the way that Gene's telepathic responses worked."

"So basically, I'm a fill in for Naru."

Madoka gives me a wry grin, "Ironic, isn't it?"

* * *

"Congratulations, Mai!" Monk says, hugging me. Ayako was crying as she runs forward and hugs me as well. Yasu gives me a high five and John gives me a hand shake. Masako admires the dress that she's bought with a scheming gleam in her eyes.

"Hey, Mai." Madoka says, pulling me to the side, "This arrived for you this morning at the office." She hands me an envelope and kisses me on the forehead before walking away.

I open the envelope and take out a piece of paper. Something falls out and hits the ground. I bend down and see that it's a beautiful black bracelet. Several different charms hang off of it.

Protective charms. One for warding off ghosts, one for protection against ghosts, one for physical harm from ghosts, one for mental harm against ghosts, one for warding off demons, one for protection against demons, one for physical harm against demons, one for mental harm against demons. There's also a Celtic cross, a Ankh (which is an Egyptian cross), the Star of David (a Jewish symbol), the Christian cross, and a pentagram (the Wiccan symbol for all the elements).

All of these would come in very useful to me on a case. Seeing as I'm a ghost magnet, this is perfect for me.

I suddenly remember the piece of paper, and I unfold it. My eyes skim over the words.

_Mai,_

_This should be an appropriate gift for you. I'm sure Madoka has taught you what all of these charms are, but then again, you are known for your idiocy. If you aren't sure, look it up. It may help you in the end._

_Congratulations on graduating high school._

_-Naru_

A small smile settles over my face as the knowledge that Naru sent this to me sinks in. How'd he know that today was my graduation? I glance up at a grinning Madoka and a mouth-hidden-behind-her-sleeve Masako. They were behind this. A laugh leaves my throat as joy sweeps through me.

I slide the bracelet on.

* * *

"Hey, Mai." Gene says, a narrow eyes look on his face. I laugh at him. He's such an 'older brother' type of person. Right now he was a little peeved that I'd accepted an invitation from a guy to go to a party.

"Oh, save the lecture, Gene." I grin, "I'm in college now. I should have some type of social life."

"No you shouldn't," he pouts adorably, "Just wait for my brother to get back and give me nieces and nephews."

My face brightens, "Gene!" He laughs.

* * *

The onslaught of tapping is echoing around in the office. If it wasn't so fast or wasn't so steady, I'd have thought that Madoka was typing something up, but no. That consistent, speedy typing could only belong to one person.

I slide off my light jacket in a hurry and hang it on the coat rack. It was early August, so a very light jacket was needed. I hang my purse in my small locker. Madoka had installed these small lockers that were more like school lockers. They were black with silver plates on them, and we were to put our things, like purses, in there.

I make my way slowly around the corner and feel tears spring to my eyes when I see the overly tall man sitting on the couch with a laptop. Lin's black hair covered his left eye and he was in the classic white button up and black trousers. An empty coffee cup sits on one of the coasters.

"Lin." I say, trying for his attention.

His head tilts upward and his eyes meet mine. A small smile graces his face and he places his laptop carefully down in the coffee table. He stands and says, "Noll is back in England. I'm here to help you with your growing powers. Madoka has informed BSPR that your abilities are beyond her reach any longer. She's taught you the knowledge but now you must be taught how to control your powers and put them to use."

"So you're here to help me with that?" My voice was a little shaky, but that's to be expected considering I had tears streaming down my face.

"Yes." He says finally, and an awkward silence fills the air.

_'I think Lin is feeling uncomfortable.'_ Gene's voice bounces around in my head.

_'Why's that?'_

_'He's never really dealt with a crying women before.'_

I wipe my face, before darting forward and wrapping my arms around his waist. He tenses for a brief moment, before relaxing and patting me on the head. I pull away and smile up at the stoic man. I hadn't even realized I'd missed him until now.

"Mai!" Madoka shouts from the door, "What are you doing here so early?"

"Just a feeling!" I shout back, still grinning up at Lin, "By the way, keep the sexy time to a minimum, please!"

Lin's eyes widen as Madoka walks in, "What do you—" She stares at him, before a large smile breaks out on her face, "Koujo!" Madoka rushes over to her husband.

Lin glances at me, "How'd—"

"I told her." Madoka says, "It was way too hard not to. It's Mai! For Lords sake."

Lin smirks, "Yeah, it's Mai."

I toss him a toothy grin.

* * *

_What's that sound?_ I think moving towards Lin's office. Lin had been there for about three months. He's taught me a lot so far, considering he's a surprisingly impatient teacher, I've advanced a lot. Over the last few cases, my skills have come in handy. With Lin here, I'm now able to control my own Astral Plane. I'm also able to control when I want to leave my body in an astral projection, and I'm training to become a medium. Along with all of this, my instincts are sharper and I've learned to control my PK-LP. I'm also able to out up defense shields against attacks and to attack. I've memorized several spells.

Lin is also in the process of teaching me Latin.

I step in the door way of Lin's office and I feel my face heat at the PDA being shown here. Poor Madoka. That desk has to be uncomfortable.

Lin had Madoka bent over backwards to his desk, and was on top of her. He tied her hands together with his tie and was kissing her.

I slowly take my phone out and snap a few pictures. This will be good for later blackmail. I sneak away.

* * *

It was late September and kind of chilly for this time of year. It seems that winter was coming very early this year. It had rained last night, so of course it's freezing now. My winter boots click against the floor as I open the office door and step in. I slide my scarf off and hang it on the rack with my jacket. Opening my locker, I slide my purse in to it, and slam it closed.

I turn around and freeze. What the—

Yasu and John were staring at me with sorrowful expressions. Masako was staring impassively, but I could see how worried she looked by the tightening around her mouth. Monk had Ayako in an embrace (married people, I swear) and they were staring at someone on the couch. I couldn't see Madoka or Lin from my position at the door way, but I assume that they were there too.

"Uh, what's up guys?" I ask; even I could hear the confusion in my voice. My heart begins to pound and my instincts kick in. A sudden feeling if anxiousness and shock flits through me. I don't understand. I begin to walk towards the sitting area, "Why are all of you looking at me like I'm a kicked pup—"

The smell of Earl Grey tea fills the air around him. There he was, sitting so elegantly in the same chair that he always did. His legs were crosses, and he wore the same black clothing that he always had worn. His hair was thicker and longer. He'd also put layers in it, from what I could see. His arms were bigger than I remember, and I could defiantly notice that his chest had gotten wider. Some type of black ink peeked out from his shirt collar (is it just me, or is that a tattoo?); but what really got me were his eyes. They were trained on me, as if he was a predator and I was his prey.

Everyone is quiet for a moment. In those few quiet seconds, I see that Lin is sitting next to Madoka on the couch.

"Mai." His deep voice echoes around the painfully silent office. I force down all of the inner turmoil, and cross my arms over my chest. I raise an eyebrow at the professor in front of me.

"Yes, Professor Davis?" I say annoyingly.

He raises an eyebrow of his own, "Tea." He holds out his empty empty tea cup.

Everyone is quiet for a moment as they gauge my reaction. My face turns red as anger fills my bloodstream. I walk over and jerk the cup from his hand, "Stupid, tea-loving, narcissistic, idiot scientist." I march in to the kitchen to make tea.

I can hear the team laughing from the sitting area.


	2. Chapter Two

**Human - Case #1: Aiko Uto**

**Day One:**

* * *

"Um, hello?" A timid voice says from the door way. I turn toward the person with a smile. The man was in his early thirties and he was handsome. Even though he looked like he probably hadn't got much sleep in a few days, and hadn't shaven, he was well dressed. He had on a creme colored suit and a white tie. He was small (for a man, anyway). His face was a little red as I walk over.

"Hello, sir. My name is Mai Taniyama, you must be Kagame Uto." I hold out my hand and he shakes it with a polite smile on his face, "Why don't you sit down and I'll inform my boss that you're here for your appointment." He nods once and sits down. I let out a small breath and begin to walk to Naru's office.

It's been a while since I had worked under Naru. I've been Madoka's secretary for the past three years, and I'd gotten used to her tendencies. I was also a little nervous at the prospect of speaking to Naru again. The only thing that he's said to me since he got back yesterday was 'Mai, tea.' I mean, for all I know, he could be making fun of me every second. I did confess to the man.

_Man._

Heh.

My mind can't process that Naru and I aren't kids anymore. I'm nineteen and Naru just turned twenty on September 19th. I was in my second year of college and was doing remarkably well. I'm majoring in English, Psychology, and Criminal Justice. Considering I plan to stay in this field for the rest of my life, I figured it would help.

I raise my hand to knock on Naru's door but I'm surprised when he opens the door himself. Nonetheless, I greet him with a grin, "Kagame Uto is here for his appointment." He nods and follows me to the sitting area. Lin is already there with his laptop. He glances up when we enter, and blinks at me, before looking back down at his laptop.

_Hello to you too Lin._

I mentally roll my eyes and continue along in to the kitchen. I make two cups of coffee and a cup of tea before walking back in to the sitting area. It seems the men had been waiting for me. What gentlemen.

I place Naru's tea in front of him, and do the same with Lin and Uto-san's coffee. Uto-san smiles at me gratefully as he picks up his coffee (I notice his cheeks darken). I smile back at him.

He's so cute… for an older man.

_'Hey, hey.'_ Gene's voice bounces around in my head,_ 'Remember, I want nieces and nephews.'_ I blush.

A throat clearing catches my attention and I see Naru glaring at me.

Oops.

I forgot about the interview. I send him a small apologetic smile, and I sit down next to Naru with my white notebook. It was quite amusing, the fact that Naru had a black notebook and I had a white one.

"Uto-san," Naru says with a fake smile, "Why don't you tell me why you've scheduled an appointment with us?"

"Well you see," he begins, holding the coffee cup tightly, "I have a small daughter. She will be six years old in a few days. Up until about a year ago, she was just an average toddler. Although she might be a little rude to new people, she really is a good girl. Most of the time, she just draws in her little notebooks and all over the walls of her bedrooms, no matter how many times I tell her to stop."

He smiles affectionately, before his handsome face changes in to a look of foreboding, "However, lately she's been acting… strange. Normally, she draws things like flowers, or cute little creatures that she calls her friends. But about a month ago, she began to draw creatures that were… terrifying, to say the least. She's been waking up in the middle of the night with nightmares and she'll have bruises that look like finger prints all over her body.

"At first I thought maybe she'd just seen a scary movie and was reacting to it, but I don't keep any scary movies in my home. I didn't want her to come across one, watch it, and become frightened. I interrogated my babysitter, but he said that he hadn't brought any movie over that would have frightened her. I figured it would blow over if I gave it time, but just incase, I brought her in to my room to sleep with me until I was sure she would be fine." His eyes begin to water, "However, she began screaming the first night she was in my room. When I woke up, she was pinned against the wall with imprints in her clothing as if several people were grabbing her roughly. I tried to pull her off the wall, but I couldn't. I was thrown across the room and was knocked out. Nearly four hours later, I was woken up by my daughter shaking me." He looks up at Naru, "Shibuya-san, you must help me. I have no idea what's happening to my daughter, and I can't bare to see this happen any longer."

Naru gazes down at the notes that he'd taken down for a moment, before nodding, "We'll be needing three rooms, Uto-san. One for a base, and two rooms for sleeping."

"Oh, thank you so much." Uto-san says, a spark of hope shining in his eyes, "We'll have the rooms ready for you."

Naru nods and stands, "Please give all of your information to my secretary, and I'll contact you with the date of our arrival." I stand and lead Uto-san to my desk.

_'This isn't going to take long.'_ Gene's voice bounces around in my head.

* * *

My phone lights up in my face as I continue to play the little game on my phone. The words 'unknown' flash across my screen and I lift an eyebrow to myself.

"Hello?" I say in to the phone. Who would be calling me this early in the morning?

"So you are awake." A deep voice says.

"Davis-san," I say, ignoring the butterflies that come with the sound of his voice, "May I ask why you're calling me this early in the morning?"

"Apparently, my brother feels the need to bother me when I'm peacefully asleep because he can't bother you." Naru sounded… delicious. His voice was deeper than normal, and slightly hazy, as if he'd just woken up. God, what is it about men and their morning voices?

"I'm not sure what to say, sir." I relent, turning over on to my back and staring up at the shadowed ceiling.

There's a pregnant silence between us, before Naru sighs, "Mai, listen to me, and don't speak until I'm finished. Understood?" Well now he sounded annoyed and angry.

"Yes sir."

"Before I left for England…" he begins, and my heart rate picks up, "About your confession… I'm… sorry… that I said it like that. You didn't deserve to be spoken to like that, even if I did just find Gene's body. I never meant for you to have the turmoil that you did."

"You know about that?" I whisper, feeling my eyes sting, but willing myself not to cry. I've done enough crying to last a life time.

"Yes," Naru says acidly, "I know about everything that happened after I left for Engand. Do you really believe that I'd just not check up on my own company, or are you that much of an idiot?"

Ah. There's the insult.

"Well," I sniffle, wiping my nose, on my shirt sleeve, that had begun to drip, "It's fine, Davis-san. I forgive you. I was never mad at you for that anyway. And it wasn't your fault. It was mine."

He's silent once again, before his voice comes over the line, "It would be inconvenient for you to continue to call me that Mai."

"Call you what?" I ask innocently.

_Nu uh, Naru. It won't be that easy. You have to ask._

"By my given name." He says.

"I'm sorry, Shibuya-san." I retort, a small smile breaking out on my face.

"That either." He practically growls in to the phone. A shudder runs down my body, and I'm suddenly happy that he isn't here with me.

"Forgive me, Kazuya-san."

"Dammit, Mai." He growls, "Call me by my name."

"Oliver-san."

"By the name you gave me."

"Narcissist."

A sigh on the other in makes me giggle by accident, and Naru sighs again, "You're going to make me say it, aren't you?" I stay quiet, so he continues, "Mai, please call me by my name."

I grin in to the darkness of my room, "Yes, Naru."

"Thank you." He mumbles and then the line goes dead.

_'Way to go, Mai.'_ Gene's gentle voice flits through my head, making me laugh before sunlight streaks across my room.

* * *

I'm at the office before Madoka, but after Naru. The air was frigid, but it was do-able. At least there wasn't snow.

"Mai?" Naru stares as I walk in to the sitting area of the office, he raises an eyebrow, "Your employee review that Madoka wrote stated that your arrival time had improved greatly, but I didn't think you'd be here early."

I toss him a sarcastic smile before making my way to the kitchen, "Tea?" He just grunts. I walk in to the kitchen and get with making tea and coffee. I know Lin is going to want it dark. He hates the cold air.

God. He really does feel like a grouchy grandfather.

I set Naru's tea in front if him, and it's then that I notice that he's reading a book in English. I grab the book and tilt it upward slightly so I can read the cover, "Psychokinesis and Telepathy: How the Two Can Be Related." I then let go and walk over to the other couch, before sitting down on the warm furniture.

"No, Mai." Naru's sarcasm coated voice makes look up at him to see him glaring at me, "I don't mind if you grab my book and force me to lose my place."

I roll my eyes, "Like you won't be able to find it again, right? Jerk." He closes the book with a bang, and set it on the small coffee table. He picks up his tea cup and sips slowly.

After a few moments of awkward silence, he says, "How's your college classes going?"

I glance at him, "Are you asking as a friend, or as my employer?"

He raises an eyebrow, "Does it matter?"

I grin, "Yeah, actually. It does. If your my employer, then I'd say, 'They're going fine. I love all of my teachers and the classes are a real challenge.'"

"But as your friend?"

"I'd say, 'My English class is easier than my Criminal Justice class, and my Psychology teacher is an asshole.'"

Naru raises an eyebrow, "Then I'll ask as your friend, and you can tell me about this teacher."

My cheeks warm, "You really want to listen? I tend to ramble."

His eyes roll, "I'm aware, just speak, Mai."

"You and Noll looked extra friendly." Madoka nudges me in side from by my desk. The men were sitting on the couches, going over notes and possibilities for the case. She grins at me, "Lin and I walked in and you were having a discussion with him about Psychology?"

I roll my eyes, despite my darkening cheeks, "He asked me about school, so I told him. Drop it, boss." She laughs, but changes the subject to other matters, much to my relief.

About an hour later, Monk and Ayako crash through the door with arguments bouncing off of their lips. Naru glances up and glares, while Lin and Madoka ignore them. A smile pops to my face, and I stand up to greet my parent figures.

"Mai!" Monk exclaims, wrapping his arms around me and squeezing. I giggle breathlessly, and pat him on the arm. Ayako gives me a kiss on the cheek before smacking Monk in back of his head. Yasu and John weren't far behind them and then it was Masako.

"I expect everyone to be on their best behaviors." Naru says, walking up behind the van. We had just finished loading everything and we were just standing around waiting for Naru to be ready to leave.

I roll my eyes, but it's Ayako that answers him, "What are we going to do? Have sex with the babysitter?" Naru's eyebrows raise in question and I start giggling. Monk laughs loudly, along with Yasu and I. Ayako turns a red color but looks the other way.

We leave.

* * *

_"No!" I scream, the pain in my lower abdomen making me scream as the man continues his assault, "Stop it! It hurts!"_

_"You're such a good girl," the husky voice above me says, "Such a good good girl."_

_"Dude," a strangled voice says, my eyes swing to a blonde man that looks American. His eyes are wide and brown, and he looks disgusted, "How could you do that?"_

_"Because it feels good." The man above me says, and no matter how much I want to, I can't look at him. I can't turn my head._

_"Help me!" I yell at the foreigner, "Please!"_

_The blonde foreign man takes a step towards me, but he's grabbed from behind, and then more hands are on me. They all begin to touch me and yank at me until I'm sobbing for my daddy._

_"No!" I scream and then they all begin to hurt me again._

* * *

"Mai, wake up." A voice from above me says. My eyes open and they blink owlishly. Monk is standing above me with a grin, "Were they all that boring?"

I sit up and smile, "No, actually. Madoka wouldn't shut up, so I just fell asleep."

Monk chuckles, while helping me out of the van, "Her voice lulled you to sleep?" He laughs this time.

"Who's voice lulled you to sleep?" Ayako says, walking up.

Monk grins, taking the chance to tease his wife, "Your annoying and squeaky voice, ya old bat."

Ayako turns red and smacks him on side of the head, "You stupid little—"

"Matsuki-san, I'd appreciate it if you'd take Hara-san and go record temperatures around the building." Naru says, walking up behind the two of them. A grin settles on my face as Ayako turns red and walks away. Monk chuckles, but follows after his wife.

"Things never change, do they?" I ask, a fond smile on my face as they walk away. I glance at Naru who is ignoring me and I roll my eyes, before walking away.

About an hour later, the base is set up, and all of the temperatures are taken and written down. Masako has said that she doesn't feel a spirit.

I'm in the kitchen making tea, when I feel the emotions surround me. Cautiousness, fright, anger, and curiosity.

I turn to see a little girl standing in the door way. She had her hair over her eyes and she was holding a brown teddy bear. Her brown hair was scruffy and she had on a pair of pants and a long sleeved shirt.

"Oh, hello." I say, "You must be Aiko Uto." She watches me from the door way for a moment, before she takes a few steps forward until she's standing in front of me.

"Who are you?" Her voice is hesitant and shy but with an edge. She looks up at me and I'm shocked by the bright green eyes that seem to glow underneath her jet black hair, "Why are you here lady?"

I bend down to her level and grin at her. She seems shocked that I'm smiling at her, but listens when I speak, "My name is Mai Taniyama. I'm a ghost researcher and I'm here to help you."

"That's stupid." She asks, her voice angry now, "Get out." Her glare is fierce.

I glare back, "Now that's enough, young lady." She looks shocked, I continue to reprimand her, "You should never speak to someone who is trying to help you; you should be thankful."

Her eyes water, and she nods, "I'm sorry, Taniyama-san."

I feel my expression soften, "It's alright, Uto-chan. Why don't you and your friend there," I gesture to her teddy bear, "come with me and tell me and my friends about what's been happening to you? Oh, and call me Mai."

"Is Daddy gonna be there?" She asks in a small voice, and at my nod she grins, "Alright! I'll call you Mai-chan, but you have to call me Aiko!" I nod in agreement with the young girl. Instead of me leading her to Naru and the gang, she grabs my hand and leads me to our base.

As we walk in, Madoka and Ayako's eyes grow wide at the sight of the little girl. Monk and Yasu make faces that I can't decipher, Masako ignores us, and Naru and Lin move to the couch.

"You must be Aiko Uto." Naru says with a fake smile, and Aiko shys away from him. I look down at her and see her glaring at the young professor. Naru raises a eyebrow at the small six year old.

"Aiko-chan," I murmur to her, I bend down, "He can help you."

Aiko looks at me, and whispers, "But his smiles are weird. They aren't real."

I grin at her, "I know, I noticed too, but it's okay. He's a little rude. Can be temperamental. Is way too handsome for his own good and likes to tell people. Which means his ego is a million miles long," I stand up straight, and put my hands on my hips, "Not to mention he's a real jerk nearly all of the time and has a very odd tea addiction. To top that off he likes to lie about—"

"Mai!" Madoka giggles. I glance over to them all to see everyone but Lin and Naru trying very hard not to laugh. Lin was biting his lip, as if trying not to smile, and Naru was giving me the coldest glare I'd ever received from him.

I grin back, before looking down at Aiko, "However, despite all of that." I bend back down, and whisper in her ear, "He's a really good person. He'll help you, I promise. Aaaaannnnd I'm kind of in love with him." I pull away from her ear to see she has a face-splitting grin in her face. I laugh, "But keep it a secret, alright?" I hold my pinkie up, and she wraps hers around mine.

"Alright, Mai-chan!" She bounces over to the couch across from Lin and Naru and climbs up. I walk over and sit down next to her. She grins up at me and I grin back down at her.

Naru sighs and we all wait quietly for Uto-san to walk in. He does and he blushes when he realizes we were all waiting for him. He quickly moves to sit down on the other side of Aiko, who grins at him. Naru discreetly rolls his eyes before beginning, "Alright, Uto-san, why don't you tell me about the nightmares."

Aiko grows pale, before she grabs both my and her fathers hand, "There's a bad man and he likes to hurt me. He calls me a good girl, and he says it feels good. Another man is there, and he knows that the bad man is a bad man. I ask him for help, and he tries to help me, but then he's grabbed." Aiko looks down at her teddy, which was resting in her lap, "Then there's more people there, who hurt me."

"What do you mean by 'hurt you'." I ask, reaching over and tucking some hair behind her ear. I lower my voice, "Do you mean hurt you down there?" I put emphasis on 'there', trying to have her to understand.

Aiko nods, "Yes."

Uto-san gasps, and I get the feeling she never explained this much to him. I toss him a look of sympathy and his eyes water. A knock on the door sounds, and a young high school male enters. He's got brown hair and brown eyes. Tan skin and he's not that tall either. He's too skinny and he has on glasses. All in all, he's not that much to look at.

"Um, Uto-san?" He says (where have I heard that voice before?), peering at all of us questionably.

"Kei-kun!" Aiko cheers. She's hops off the couch and over to the boy, he hugs her back with a smile on his face.

He smiles at all of us, "Um, hello. My name is Kei Meguni."

My instincts tell me to grab that child and run like hell is on my heels, but instead I stand and grin at the high schooler. I walk around the couch and towards him with my hand held out, "Hello! I'm Mai Taniyama. We're here to help with the strange phenomenon that has been happening around here."

Kei blushes and shakes my hand, "Um, he-hello Taniyama-san."

I shake his hand firmly, "It's nice to meet you, Meguni-san."

He blushes and suddenly makes up some excuse about Aiko going to the park and he brings her out. Aw. Why'd he leave?

A sharp laugh shakes me from my confused state and makes me turn around. Madoka is the one laughing. I raise a confused eyebrow, and Monk clears his throat, "Uhem, Mai?"

"Yes?"

"Next time, try not to… come on so strong." He looked slightly proud but slightly frightened at the same time.

"What do you mean?" Even I could hear the confusion in my voice.

"Mai-chan," Uto-san begins, "I think he means that your personality is more dominating than anything, and Kei-kun is a shy boy. You were a little… too bold for the boy."

"I don't find she was." Ayako states, her arms crossed over her chest, "Did you see the way he was eyeing her up? Shy boy, my ass. Mai's personality is what's going to get her a real man."

"Of course you'd think that—"

"Mai?" Comes Naru's monotone voice. I throw my head in his direction to show him that I'm listening as I watch Ayako and Monk argue. They were so funny.

"Yes, Naru?"

"Tea."

* * *

All too soon, it was night time and I was not prepared for whatever this was.

Naru had sent Ayako and Monk to stand at Aiko's door, while John was sitting in her room. He was currently reading her a bed time story. Lin was sitting at the monitors watching everything around the house. I have no idea where Naru was but I know that Uto-san must be with him.

"Lin?" I say, staring lazily at the clock that read 2:56am. The stoic man glances at me briefly, "Do you want tea?"

"Yes, please." Lin's deep voice vibrates around the silent base. I stand up and make my way towards the small kitchen.

As I'm waiting for the water to boil, the door creeks open. I turn to see Kei-kun walking in. He blushes when he sees me, "Uh, Taniyama-san. H-Hi!"

"Hey Meguni-san." I say bubbly, my eccentric nature shining through my sleepiness. He moves towards the ice box calmly, but he jumps when the kettle for the tea goes off. I giggle at him, but take the kettle off of the stove.

As I'm inserting the leaves, a pair of arms circle around my waist. I freeze.

"You are one pretty lady." A voice says. It sends shivers down my spine.

"Meguni-san, what are you—"

"Sshhhh." He says, turning me around and placing a finger to my lips. Fear curls in my belly as I see the way he's leering at me. My heart begins to race. He leans forward and places his nose in my hair, "Taniyama-san, I don't think you understand what you do to me."

"Stop it." I state firmly, trying to push him away, but the lanky teenager is stronger than he looks. He grabs my wrists and pulls them behind my back with one hand while he traces my cheek bone with the finger on his other hand.

"God, you're gorgeous." He murmurs, leaning down.

_'Don't let him do that to you, Mai!'_ Gene's voice vibrates around my skull. I've never heard him angry before, and it's probably scarier than any of Naru's worst glares.

I suddenly bring up my leg and my knee connects in between his legs. He drops immediately to the ground and I place my foot on the area he's desperately trying to cover. He lets out a silent shriek as I do. I lean down and rest my arm on top of my elevated knee as he looks up at me with pain filled eyes.

"Ever try that again and I'll make sure to not only call the cops, but I'll tell every single one of those men in there too." I say cruelly. He nods rapidly and I take my foot off his privates.

I grab the tea kettle and make my way out of the kitchen.


	3. Chapter Three

**I want to thank 14AmyChan for all her help so far! She helped me realize some really big issues with the story that I might want to clear up. So thanks Amy-chan!**

**•First, Mai is nineteen. Let me explain how: Mai was still 16 when Naru left. Her birthday is officially July 3 (it's even on the internet. I know. I checked), so she would have graduated high school while she was still 17 because she'd have started school early. That means she'd be 18 while going in to college, and also newly 19 (and in her second year of college) when Naru came back.**

**•Another interesting factoid, Naru's birthday is September 19th (once again, I checked and it is on the internet), so he would have just turned 20 when he moved back to Japan.**

**That's all for now. Anyway, that's for all the favorites and follows and reviews! Especially the reviews. Those are awesome. I love reading them.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

**Case #1 - Aiko Uto**

**Day Two:**

* * *

Luckily, Lin didn't say anything when I walked back in. I know he must have seen what transpired between Meguni-san and I, but all he said when I walked in was, "I hope you know what you're doing, Mai."

I give him a secretive smile and a wink, before placing his tea in front of him.

I sit down just as Naru and Uto-san walk back in. Uto-san smiles at me from the door way while Naru makes a b-line for the tea.

I stand and smile at our client, "Uto-san, are you sure you wouldn't want a few hours of sleep? I'll wake you up when any activity occurs."

"Thank you, Mai-chan." Uto-san says, "But in all actuality, you wouldn't have the time to wake me up. I'd rather you help Aiko." A fond smile comes to my face. He's such a good father. Father's like him make me want to believe that their are good men in the world.

I walk over to him and take his hands in my own, "Would you like something to drink or eat? I'm a very good cook, you know." I toss him a smile.

His face brightens, "Um, y-yes please, M-Mai-chan." I grin and make my way back to the kitchen to cook something.

All of a sudden, the EMP meter goes off, and I jerk back in to the room. I look at the monitors to see Aiko being lifted in to the air.

_Oh no._

I run out of the room and in to Aiko's room. All of a sudden, I feel a familiar pressure come on to my body. I know what this is.

I reach out with my PK-LT and grasp Aiko. I grin to myself; I thought so. Just as suddenly as Aiko had been raised, she falls back on to her bed with a gasp. I keep hold of her as her PK-MT tries to get loose again.

My knees begin to shake and panic flits through my blood stream. I'm using too much energy to push back Aiko's powers. I'm going to faint!

**_NARU!_**

"Hello, pretty lady." A male voice says from behind and then I finally black out.

* * *

**Yasu's Point of View:**

I've never seen the boss this agitated. He was glaring at the camera as we watched Mai control Uto-chan's PK-MT. I've already figured out that that's what it is by now.

"That girl is so stupid." Masako comments quietly. Her sleeve was covering her mouth, but I'd bet several thousand yen that she was frowning.

"How long exactly has she been missing?" Madoka asks, sitting next to Lin by his computer.

"An hour and ten minutes," Monk says, scratching his stubbly beard, "How long does it normally take for Mai to wake up from a black out?"

"An hour." Ayako says, "And it takes her fifteen minutes to lose the dizziness."

"Dizziness?" Uto-san says, "I'm not sure I understand."

"Mai has frequent black outs." I supply, "She's basically a danger magnet and ghosts are drawn to her undeniably. She has this beacon of light around her. The fact that she can see them is reason enough for them to notice her, but she also has PK-LT. It's the ability to control a living being. Another words, Mai is able to control any thing with a heart beat. However, the ability takes a toll on Mai. She normally has black outs after."

"So who ever that man was behind her didn't knock her unconscious?" Uto-san asks.

I shake my head, and push up my glasses, "No. He didn't. Mai used too much energy while she was stoping Uto-chan's own PK abilities."

"Wait, I'm confused." Ayako says, "Uto-chan had PK?"

"Mai must have realized that Uto-chan's nightmares were a result of her own living hell." Masako says quietly.

"You can't mean—" Ayako whimpers, a hand over her mouth.

"Yes." The boss man says from by the computer. He turns around and leans on the table with his arms crossed over his chest, "Uto-san's daughter is the victim of sexual assault. Whoever it was must have abused her several times until her powers emerged from the fear and anguish. Her mind duplicated the event and her powers forced her to relive it repeatedly." He brings up his hand to his chin, a movement that meant he was thinking. I know because I do the same thing, "Considering the number of handprints on her, I'd say that it was at least ten times."

By now Uto-san was sobbing to himself. It's a good thing that Uto-chan was still in her room. She was peacefully asleep in her bed. However, if Mai was here, I'm sure she'd tell the boss man off for being so blunt, but Mai isn't here.

That makes me think of another issue.

"Wait, so who would be doing this all to Uto-chan? I mean, they'd have to be around often enough and left with Uto-chan to be able to do it several times."

"Noll." Lin says, making all of us turn to him. Instead of saying something he begins to play back some footage from earlier. We watching at Kei Meguni assaults Mai, and after a moment of hesitation, she kicks his ass.

"What a slim ball!" Ayako shouts.

Uto-san is angry now, "I let him stay in my house more often than not. He watches Aiko for me when I'm at work. I pay him a lot."

"Well, you're paying the wrong man." Madoka growls. I could see the anger churning in everyone. Even Lin was typing a little harder than normal on his lap top.

"What room does he normally stay in?" Monk asks, "Maybe if we search his room, we can find where he might have taken Mai."

"No need." A voice says from the door of the room. We all look to see Meguni with a knife to a disoriented Mais' neck.

The room drops in temperature. We all knew instantly who that was. Lin casts a glance in the boss's direction, but he doesn't say anything. Even if nothing was being shown on his face, I could tell how angry the professor was. The fact that he looked ready to pounce could also mean something.

"Seriously?!" Uto-san bursts, his face red from anger, "What did either one of those girls ever do to you?!"

"That other bitch is just because she's tight." Meguni sneers, "But this one is gorgeous. And I bet she's just as tight as that other one."

"Let her go!" Monk growls, his fists balled up at his sides.

"Now why would I do that?" Meguni drawls. He chuckles, "Surely, you must understand that I should keep her. I mean, look at her." Meguni trails the knife down Mai's neck and in between the swell of her breasts, "She would be such a slut between the sheets. I can bet on it."

"What did you just call her?" Madoka roars, her face angry. She darts forward but Lin catches her before she can touch him, "You better shut your mouth, you perverted asshole! Let Mai go you basturd!" Madoka's scary when she's pissed.

"Geez." Mai's muffled voice comes. We all glance down at her to see her hand coming up and wrapping around Meguni's, "If you wanted me, all you had to do was ask."

_What?!_

Meguni grins, "Really?"

"Really." Mai's voice is soft and silky. I've known Mai long enough to know that she wasn't flirting. Nope. She was so pissed off.

We all watched with our mouths dropped open as Mai stands up completely. I can't see her eyes. Her bangs had come untucked from behind her ears (where she normally kept them) and they covered her eyes. Mai turns toward Meguni and

I see his eyes widen as Mai's eyes meet his.

That's another issue with Mai's PK-LT, she has to make eye contact with the person she wants to manipulate. If she doesn't, then it takes a larger toll on her body.

Suddenly, Meguni drops the knife and punches himself in the jaw. He continues to hit himself on various parts of his body. His fists make contact several times before Masako walks forward and places a hand on Mai's shoulder. The punches stop and Mai bites out, "That's for the six year old girl that you assaulted, you nasty son of a bitch." Then Mai turns around and collapses on to the couch.

* * *

**Case #1 - Aiko Uto**

**FINISHED**

* * *

"Mai, tea." Naru says for the fifth time today. I groan and make my way to the kitchen. I swear, I don't understand how one human kidney could consume this much tea.

After I'd collapsed, Uto-san had called the police and they'd arrested Kei-kun. It turns out, after further investigation, that he was wanted for several cases of rape and molestation. He'd raped several girls from his school and molested several kids that he's babysat in the past.

Aiko was currently in quite a few therapy sessions. Uto-san was worried about his daughter, not that I could blame him. If I had a six year old daughter that had even been looked at oddly, I'd have locked her up and thrown away the key.

Naru contacted his parents and they'd sent out one of their very own therapists. The man that they'd sent was not only intelligent and caring, he also knew a way to help Aiko with her newly emerged PK-MT. Not to mention he was very good looking.

The bruises on Aiko's body have begun to fade, from the way Uto-san was talking earlier this morning. I mean, of course I'd called him to see how Aiko was. The little girl was so sweet, if a little rude at first light. I'm sure she'll grow in to a beautiful young women, and hopefully put all of this behind her.

I take the kettle off the stove after it whistles, and insert the leaves. I grab the kettle and bring it to Naru's office. I enter silently without waiting for consent. I place the kettle on his desk, and turn around to leave, but freeze when he calls after me. I turn back around, "Yes, Naru?"

"Take a seat." He says in a monotone. I tilt my head in confusion, but sit in the chair across from his desk.

I wouldn't ever tell him, but I absolutely adored this chair. It may be solid black, but it was soft and very thick. And so comfortable. I would absolutely adore it if I had it (if I had an office to put it in, anyway).

"You have the next week off." He says after finally looking up from his paperwork. His face was completely emotionless, and I couldn't read anything from it. It was an odd concept for me. Normally, I'm a people person, and I can read people well. After working with Naru for a year (before he left for England, anyway), I'd gotten better at reading people. Specifically people that were drawn in to themselves.

Basically, people like Naru.

"Wait." I say, confusion lighting my tone, "Why do I have the next week off?"

"BSPR is remodeling the office. Instead of just this office room, they've bought the entire building. However, there's going to be a few people that are going to come and decorate the entire building." Naru sighs, and it's then that I see the agitation in his eyes. He doesn't want this. I'm nearly positive he'd be completely happy with the same small office that we've always had.

"So I have the day off so I won't be in the decorators and movers way?"

"Precisely."

I open my mouth, but then close it. I want to ask. I really do, but I'm afraid that he'll just call me stupid or something to that nature. He does it often enough. I'm nearly positive his favorite pass time is to think up new ways to insult my intelligence. It's not that I think I'm stupid by his teasing, it's just I'm a little worried that he might be some sort of sadist.

"Mai." Naru's deep voice penetrates my thoughts, and I become away that he's been calling my name for a few moments now. Naru glares at me, "You were about to say something. What was it?" Can't he say please once in a while? Is it really that hard? I know he's capable of it too! Not to mention when Naru asks a question, it's more like he's demanding an answer. I just don't understand how someone can be this business-like.

I blush and suddenly stand up, "Oh, it was nothing. Anyway, I'm going to finish my work. Bye Naru!" I make a b-line for the door, but he growls and I freeze.

"Mai."

I'm silent.

"Mai." This time he growls it. A shiver goes down my spine at the unexpected pleasure that course through me at the sound of Naru's deep voice growling my name.

I sigh, and my shoulders slump forward. I turn back around with my back to the door and my arms behind me. I bite my lip before answering his question/demand, "Are you and Lin going to have the week off?"

He looks surprised for a split second, before schooling over his features, "I will be here with the decorators. Madoka won't allow me to keep Lin for the next week." He leans forward and rests his chin in his palm. Now, the handsome professor looked annoyed with his former teacher, "That woman is going to give Lin a heart attack before he's forty."

I roll my eyes, "Don't be so dramatic, Naru. You sound like a teenage girl whose gotten her boyfriend stolen from her. Lin's only thirty." He glares at me, and it sinks in that I just compared him to a teenage girl.

_Oops._

I toss him a cheesy apologetic grin, and he sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers, "Is that all you wanted, Mai?"

"So you're going to be here alone?" I ask, completely ignoring his question.

"Yes, Mai." Naru says, annoyed at my lack of response for his questions.

I make a noise in my throat that makes Naru look up at me, confused. I sigh, "Well then, I'll see you tomorrow at two." I open the door and begin to walk out.

"Maybe you misheard me." He calls, sounding really pissed at me now, "I said that you—"

"I heard you, Naru." I turn back to him, "Thanks, but no thanks. I haven't had a day off in three years. Even if I did get a day off, I wouldn't know what to do with it, much less an entire week. So I think I'll just come keep you company here, and bring you tea when needed. I promise I won't get in the way, but I really don't have anything better to do."

He watches me for a moment, before he sighs (for like the third time since this conversation started), "The decorators and movers will be here at two-thirty. So be here between two and two-thirty."

"What time are you getting here?"

He watches me for a moment before answering, "Then I guess I'll see you at one-thirty."

I grin at him, "See, your getting the concept of this now." He loses his mask for a moment and blanches, and I giggle at his expression before finally leaving his office.

* * *

I walk in to the office just as Naru is sitting down on the couch. He looks up when I enter, but doesn't say anything to acknowledge me. As I move about the office, a comfortable silence envelopes us. It's about fifteen minutes of me being there before I sit down. A fresh pot of tea is on the coffee table between the two chairs that Naru and I are sitting in, and I've got the latest book written by my very own narcissistic boss.

"Which book is that?" He suddenly comments after I'm reading for about ten minutes. I finish the sentence that I'm reading before looking up at him. Curious blue eyes peer back at me as I blink at him.

What he asked sinks in, "Oh! Um, the latest." I show him the cover.

Naru raises an eyebrow, "That ones not due to be released to the public for another three months, Mai. How did you attain it?"

I grin, "Madoka."

He rolls his eyes, "Madoka." He could play like he disliked the woman all he wanted, I know that he adores her as his sensei.

We both go silent again and I continue to read. All too soon, it's getting close to two-thirty. Naru and I hadn't made anymore conversation, except for when he though it was necessary to tell me new tea was needed. A knock on the door had us both looking up from our respective novels and Naru stands to open the door. A women dressed in tight jeans and an even tighter shirt grins at Naru with her overly white teeth, "You must be Shibuya-san." Naru raises an eyebrow but remains silent. She grins back at his lack of response, obviously taking it the wrong way. Naru was staring impassively, and I'm nearly positive that she thought he was checking her out, "I'm the decorator that was hired. My name is Tsuki Karura."

"Kazuya Shibuya." Naru holds out his hand for the blonde women to shake, and she does so with a perfectly manicured hand.

She pouts, "Sorry to ask this of you, but would you mind refraining from being here for the next hour or so? I have to think about what I want to do with the building." She suddenly grins and tosses him a look that could be considered 'flirting' and she bats her fake eyelashes, "But after, you can come and go as much as you want." By now, my blood was boiling. Who does she think she is?

Naru reaches over and grabs both my and his jackets, "Mai. Come." I grab my purse from on top of the table (I hadn't put it in my locker today) and follow after him with out so much as a glance at the now shocked decorator.

"You're really good at that, aren't you?" I comment as we walk down the street.

"Good at what?" Naru asks, looking around periodically and walking next to me. To anyone else, it would look like we were on a date and he was trying to find a way out. However, I knew that he was just paranoid and was trying to avoid the paparazzi. Ever since we all found out that he was really Professor Oliver Davis, a lot of his actions made sense. Like whenever he refused some type of television interview or a photograph.

"Dodging women." I say, moving closely next to him, "Do they always come on that strong?"

Naru's quiet a moment, before he answers, "Since I hit puberty. Gene went through puberty before I did and girls already loved him because he was…" he trails off.

I smile to myself, "He was… Gene?"

He glances at me from the corner of his eye. Something flashes in those midnight blue eyes before he faces the front again, "Apparently though, rude and silent was something that all girls wanted in high school. Eventually, I was agitated enough that I graduated when I was fifteen."

I grin, "I can't believe you pushed yourself to graduate because of some girls wanting to date you, Naru."

"I never pushed myself." He said, "Academically, I was ready to graduate by the time I was eleven. I just stayed for Gene." He pushes the door to a café open and we enter wordlessly. Without asking Naru, I walk over to a booth and slide in.

Naru sits across from me. I guess he doesn't mind me picking the place to sit. We look through the menu and order when the waiter comes. We're both silent for a moment before I sigh, "What are we supposed to do for the next hour? We can't possibly stay here."

Naru sighs and sits back in his seat, "I don't suppose we could."

As if answering a silent prayer, my phone rings suddenly, and I dig around in my purse until I find it. I grin at the caller I.D. before sliding the little green button across the screen, "Yasu!" Naru rolls his eyes at my happy greeting.

"Hey boss woman!" Yasu greets, "Do you so happen to have any free time today?"

"Uh, I'm free for the next hour or so, why?" My curiosity was peaked, and from the way he was leaning closer to me, it seemed Naru's was too.

"Do you want to go bowling?"

"Can I bring someone?" I ask immediately; Naru's eyebrows come together. He hadn't heard what Yasu said.

Yasu laughs, "Yeah! The more the merrier!"

"Awesome. See you soon, Yasu." I lock the phone back and grin at Naru, "Do you so happen to know how to bowl?"

* * *

"YASU!" I shout from across the room. The man in question (and the rest of the bowling alley) looks over at me. Naru's irritated sigh can be heard from behind me. Oh well. He knew how loud I was before he came in public with me.

The darkened lights of the alley make it difficult to see, but I've marched my way through enough blackened basements and secret passages to be able to make it over to Yasu. Even without all the black lights swirling and spinning around to up beat pop music.

Naru follows closely behind me, while ignoring all of the girls that turn to gawk at him. I swear, I don't understand how he can do that so easily. If guys did that to me, I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

"Boss man?" Yasu says, confused, "Are you two on a date or something?" A smile stretches across his face.

My face heats, "What? N-No! Of course not! Why would you think that?!" I begin to freak out while Naru just stays quiet behind me.

Yasu chuckles, "Whatever. Listen, Mai. I called you because my friend wasn't going to show up, but she showed up anyway. So I was just going to give you a lane to yourself, but since you now have an acquaintance," Yasu tosses a look that I can't read in the dark-haired man's direction, "you two can play together. Your lane is over there." He points all the way to the other side of the bowling alley.

I glare at the college student in front of me. I know he's lying. Naru obviously knows it too because he's glaring right next to me. The professor moves toward the lane provided, and he grabs my arm on his way to tug me behind him.

I go without complaint.

"Stupid Yasu…" I grumble, my arms crossed in front of me. I can't believe him! He's such a traitor. He put Naru and I right in the middle of two groups of girls playing a game. Is he honestly serious?! Naru's been avoiding their glances and flirty smiles for the past five minutes while glaring down the rows at Yasu.

I sigh, "I'm sorry Naru. I dragged you all the way over here and you get stuck in this situation."

Naru raises an eyebrow, "You sound as if we're about to die."

I laugh, "These girls do look ready to kill me." He glances up at the girls that are currently glaring at me with all of their might. He glares back and they all flinch.

Suddenly sighing, Naru stands and shrugs off his jacket and also his scarf. He also pulls off the sweater to reveal a long-sleeved black t-shirt. After folding them over the back of the chair, he walks forwards and picks up one of the black bowling balls. He weighs it in his hand before walking over to the machine and punching in our names.

What the hell—?

After the game on the machine is set up, he walks towards the isle and throws the bowling ball smoothly in one fluent motion. My jaw drops.

_All of them?!_

"No way!" I shout, standing up, "What the hell, Naru?! I thought you said you've never bowled?!" That's what he's told me in the car.

Naru turns towards me slightly, and the corner of his mouth lifts up. I'm struck by how utterly handsome he is with even just a half smile on his face. A noise leave his throat that could be considered some type of laugh, "I lied."

I feel the reluctant smile stretch across my face, and I giggle, "You stupid jerk." I shrug off my jacket and flip it over the back of the chair. I roll my shoulders and march over to the ball racks.

_Game on, Naru._


	4. Chapter Four

**Big thank you to Kagome Pureheart for the reviews that she gave me on the mistakes I made for the chapter. I'm not a perfect writer, and your type of reviews help me make my stories better! Also, thank you bunches for the manners on Uto Aiko's name. I hope I fixed everything that you pointed out.**

**Anyway, guys, thanks for all of your reviews and follows and favorites! They make me feel awesome! **

**Enjoy.**

* * *

A giggle leaves me as I fall on my backside once again. Naru sighs, but I see the mirth dancing in his eyes as he helps me off the floor. He yanks me up gently.

"Is it even possible to be that stupid?" A whispered voice comes from my right. I turn to see one of the girls whispering to her friend and pointing at us (or more specifically, me).

I turn back towards Naru while trying to push down the angry and embarrassing blush. Why couldn't they just leave us alone? I'm not bothering them.

"Ignore them, Mai." Naru says in an undertone. I look up in to his midnight blue eyes to see him staring down at me with a steady but (surprisingly) gentle gaze. My bangs flop out from behind my ear, and Naru reaches up and tucks them back in, "It really isn't that hard when you understand the movements." My heart drops as Naru turns me around and places himself behind me.

No way.

Naru was doing the flirty "let-me-show-you-how-it's-done" thing that happens all the time in movies! Is he trying to make me die from over blushing?!

What a way to go.

_'Well, at least I'd approve.'_ Gene's voice, drowning in mirth, bounces around in my head.

_'Go away!'_ I hiss back, and push him behind a wall so I can't hear his voice.

Naru hands me my small brown bowling ball and places my fingers in the correct holes. Instead of speaking, he just pulls me closer and practically melds his body to mine. He grabs my hand, and in one single motion, swings it behind us and then grabs my hand so I let go of the ball at the perfect moment. The bowling ball rolls forward until it connects with the very first one and all of the bowling pins fall down.

"No way!" I yell excitedly. I turn towards Naru (who had noticeably backed up) and do a little happy dance that consists of me moving my hips in a back and forth motion with my hands going the same way.

The corner of Naru's mouth lifts, "Idiot." I grin at him as he picks up his ball and moves toward the lane. I sit at the table and watch his nearly perfect frame as he bowls.

He's changed since he went to England. I don't mean that he's suddenly really nice and super happy (his name is Oliver, not Eugene), but he's just different. Before, Naru wouldn't have even thought of allowing me to come to work (as weird as that may sound), but he would have said no and it would have been the end of the discussion. On top of that, Naru wouldn't have thought about coming bowling with me. He would have just stayed close to the building and he would have been back exactly an hour later. And, to top it all off, Naru would have never thought about being in any type of intimate position with me, much less anybody. So yeah, I'd say he changed. However, I wonder what made him change?

**—**

"Shibuya-san!" Karura-san calls as we're walking in to the newly bought SPR building. She completely ignores me and walks straight to Naru, who had held the door open for me, "I need you to look over the designs I came up with for the building.

Naru raises an eyebrow, but follows her to the front desk. I follow behind him and murmur, "It's a three story building, and the very top of the building is apartments. What could she possibly do to two floors?" Naru doesn't acknowledge me, but I know he heard.

Karura-san explains how she'll style the office and the front desk and how she wants to take the apartments apart and put it as a room for the equipment. Then with a flirty smile towards Naru, she says, "I'll leave you to think about it. If you need to make any changes, just mark it with this red marker." She places a marker with a red cap on the blue print before walking off with a jerky hip motion that I'm sure was supposed to look sexy.

"Mai." Naru says, staring down hard at the blue prints, "What do you think?"

I walk next to him where Karura-san was, and glance at the blue prints. I point to the very top flor, "I think you should leave the apartments. You and Lin live there, and now that the entire building is bought, there's extra rooms. You could probably take down all those walks and make it in to make shift homes for the two of you. Then Lin and Madoka can probably move in together." I move to the second floor, "I think you should take down the wall that separates you and Lin's office, and make that one large office for him. Then you could probably take down the kitchen, and you can move your book shelves and other things where my desk is, but leave the couches so you and Lin could still interview clients."

Naru's silent for a moment, before he picks up the marker and begins marking all of the changes I said. However, instead of pushing down all of the apartments, he just pushes down two on Lin's side, while adding enough rooms to make it a two bedroom apartment with a bathroom and a kitchen. Then he moves down to the bottom floor and scratches out all of the changes that Karura-san made.

By the time he's done, the building looks beautiful, from what I can see.

"You should've been an architect." Naru comments, looking over the changes.

I smile at him from my position. I was leaning on the desk, "No, I don't think so. I like my job."

The corner of his mouth lifts up slightly, before it drops as the click and clank of Karura-san's heels echo throughout the office. She smiles at him (once again, 'flirty') and looks over the blue prints. Her eyes widen as she sees all of the red marks all over the page.

"Y-You didn't like the changes I made?" Karura-san asks, the shock painfully apparently in her voice.

"No." Naru says, his voice cold, "I didn't. It appears that my secratary, who had no experience in your field what so ever, knows how to do your job better than you do. If you'd spend a little more time going over your client files and less time staring at my handsome face, then you'd know what I wanted." He tosses her a glare, before walking towards the elevator for the office. I smile at the scowl that she's throwing my way. With a nearly inaudible giggle, I follow after the black haired professor.

* * *

"So you've been with Noll everyday since the construction began?" Madoka asks as she walks along side me up to the apartments. At my nod, she shakes her head, "Well, why?"

"Madoka, you never gave me a day off." I say, my annoyance at her constant badgering shining through my words, "I don't even know what todo in my free time after work anymore."

Madoka snorts, "Yeah. Sure. More like you wanted to spend the day with the man you're in love with."

I blush, and then glare at her, "Shut up, boss." She laughs but continues to follow me in to the elevator and up to Naru and Lin's office. Naru is standing there with Lin, and I can hear the end of their conversation.

"You haven't bowled since you were in high school, Noll." Lin looked surprised.

I grin, "I don't understand why, though." They both look at us as we walk up to them, "He's an excellent teacher."

Naru glares at me, and Lin gives a small grin. Madoka laughs, "I bet he is."

We all strike up a conversation (more like Madoka and I) until the rest of the team shows up. Masako doesn't say anything, but I can tell she likes it by the way she gives me a small smile. Yasu and Monk loudly praise it and Ayako gushes about the new couches. John just simply says he likes it.

"But wait a minute," Yasu says, breaking everyone out of their revere, "What about you, Mai? Where are you going?"

"On the first floor, of course." I say with a smile, "I am the secretary."

"How is Naru-bou gonna survive without your tea?!" Monk yells suddenly, making Masako and I jump slightly.

"Simple." Naru says, "I won't."

Everyone's silent for a moment before Ayako speaks up, "Um, you're going to make Mai go up in the elevator several times a day just to bring you tea?"

"Of course not." Naru says cooly, "I do pay her to work, not travel back and forth." Naru stands and opens a small door right next to his desk, "I had them install dumbwaiter."

Everyone's quiet, and they all look at me waiting for my reaction. My jaw drops, "That's why you installed a kitchen next to my desk?!" Naru smirks, and I groan, "Idiot tea-loving scientist!"

* * *

**Case #2 - Hakitori High School**

* * *

Walking in to work the next day was certainly interesting. I don't just go to the elevator like I've done millions of times for the four years that I've been working with this company.

I sit down at the overly large desk that is seated next to the elevator and I boot up my computer. The black phone rings, and I pick it up with a cheerful, "Hello. Thank you for calling Shibuya Psychic Research. This is Mai speaking, how may I help you?"

"You should pay more attention to the phone, Mai." Naru's smooth voice wafts through the black phone, "If you were paying attention, then you would know that the phone has an 'office one' and 'office two'. Another words, Lin and my own phones. Try not to be such an idiot, Mai."

I tighten my grip on the defenseless phone as anger boils in me, "Shut up, jerk. I just walked in!"

"I know." He says in a monotone, "Once again, if you'd pay more attention, then you would know that there are camera's that watch all three floors. Including the kitchen and elevator."

I growl audibly, "What do you want, you idiot scientist?"

"Tea." He says, before hanging up the phone. I shriek. He's such a jerk!

_'But he's a jerk you love.'_ Gene's voice says, filled with love and laughter. He's laughing at me too!

_'Oh, shut up, stupid medium.'_ I bite back, and he laughs loudly.

About an hour later, the door chimes and I look up to see a group of teenagers in high school uniforms walk in. Two female and three males. I greet them with a smile, "Hi. Welcome to Shibuya Psychic Research. Do you have an appointment?"

"Listen lady," one of the women start, "Just tell your boss we're here and—"

"How about you tell me if you have an appointment or not." I tell her, narrowing my eyes at the disrespectful teenager, "We don't accept clients that do not know what manners are, little missy."

She turns red and one of the boys behind her laughs, he sneers at the girl, "I guess even strangers are tired of your shit, Miki."

"Excuse her, please." A boy with glasses says, stepping forward and taking my hand in his. His gives me a meaningful glance that I'm sure was supposed to be some type of flirting technique, but he looked like he had something in his eyes.

The desk phone rings, and I see that the 'Office 2' is flashing, indicating that Lin is calling me. I glare at tell group of teenagers, and pick up the phone, "Yes?"

"Send them up. You come up too. Lock the door." Was all Lin said before hanging up the phone.

I sigh and hang up the phone. I stand from my chair and walk towards the elevator. After it opens and I step in, I wait for the group of teenagers to get the picture. They all seem to get it and they follow me in to the elevator.

The ride up is awkward, to say the least.

The door bings, and it opens to Naru sitting on the couch beside Lin. I walk over and sit down next to Naru, who casts me a side glance before looking at the teenagers, "Sit."

They all move towards the couch and they sit down. I stare at the disrespectful girl (Miki) from earlier. She avoids my gaze and continues to look down. She should. Bitch.

_'Now, now, Mai.'_ Gene's says, his voice full of mirth and false reprimand, _'Don't get angry at the poor little girl.'_

_'That poor little girl makes me angry,'_ I silently seethe,_ 'She better be lucky I'm on the clock.'_

_'Oh hush up, Mai.'_ Gene laughs, _'You wouldn't hit her. You're too nice for that.'_

I mentally roll my eyes, _'Shut up and leave me and my empty threats alone, Gene.'_

"Explain to me why I shouldn't throw you out of my building right now." Naru says coldly, glaring at every single student, "Not only do you not have an appointment, but you rudely spoke to my secretary."

Joy fills me at the fact that Naru is defending me, in his own 'I-own-her' way. It was sweet and made me happy… even if it was just because I'm his secretary.

"We just really needed to talk to you, sir." The second girl says in a quiet and shy voice, "Miki may have gone about it the wrong way—" the only people that ignore my snort are my coworkers, "—but she's just really worried about our school."

"Our school has always been a popular place for ghost stories and things like that." The boy from earlier (the one who tried to 'flirt') says with a flourish, "I remember when I was a first year that we were all told the ghost stories."

"How does any of this pertain to us?" Naru asks.

"We believe our school is actually haunted." The snarky guy from earlier says.

"I'd think my school is haunted too if I was told stories about it being haunted since I entered the school." I snap, still annoyed with the 'Miki' girl from earlier. She looks up at me with a glare and I glare back. She shrinks in to the couch.

Yeah. I learned to glare from the best.

"She does produce a good point." The last boy says quietly. I look at him, I'd forgotten there was three boys. This one looked older than the rest, and he had silver hair and very dark eyes. He sounded very proper, but not proper like Naru. Naru's just mean about it. It sounded like this guy was only speaking like this because that's how he knows. Like it's all he's only ever known.

"I'm sorry," I say softly, leaning forward towards him, "You never told me your name." He seemed like he was… the little brother type. He was quiet.

"I'm Shuto." He says so quietly it's almost a whisper. He wasn't looking at me, but he was leaning forwards, as if acknowledging me, "Shuto Hakashi."

I stretch out a hand, "Mai Taniyama." He reaches forward and gently takes his hand in my much smaller one. After a gentle shake, he let's go.

"You still haven't explained why you are all here." Naru says, his normally monotone voice not to… monotone. He was agitated.

I mentally roll my eyes. He's just annoyed because he hasn't had fresh tea in an hour. Stupid tea loving narcissistic idiot scientist.

"Odd things will happen around our school." Miki says, "At first it was just our skirts going missing from the locker room or something, so we thought it was the boys' playing some type of stupid prank, but then it got worse. All of the mirror in the girls' locker rooms and bathrooms would be broken and then the toilets would over flow and eventually it became a hazard for us to even go in to the bathroom."

"This only happened in the girls' restroom?" Naru asks, the familiar gleam in his eyes that I'm used to seeing by now. Madoka has the same gleam when a case interests her.

"Not exactly." The other girl says.

"Explain." Naru commands.

"It's happened all over the school," The first boy says, "But it seems to only happen to girls."

"That's why there are three boys compared to the two girls." I say quietly, and all five of them nods.

Naru glances at me from the corner of his eyes. I look up at him and silently beg, 'Take the case.' He raises an eyebrow, as if contemplating my silent plea. He sighs, "We'll take your case, but I warn you now, don't disrespect any of the people on my team, or we will no longer be at your service."

"Yes, of course." Miki says, smiling at the dark haired man.

"Give all of your information to my secretary." Naru says before turning to me, "Mai—"

"Yeah yeah." I roll my eyes, "I already know."

* * *

**Day One:**

Naru is the first in the school with Lin and John as Madoka and I stay outside. We'd asked everyone else to stay home so that it would be less female to watch. I wonder why they didn't just make us stay as well, and all the men go solve the case.

"I know what your thinking, Mai." Madoka says, a fond smile on her face, "I can read you like an open book, you know."

I laugh awkwardly, "Yeah, I know."

She shakes her head, "If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, then yes, it is a bit odd for them to bring us if females are at high risk. If you think about it though, both you and I are admittedly stubborn. Do you really believe you would have listened if Naru told you to stay home and let the men do the work?"

I grin, "Not likely."

She nods, "Exactly. Naru knows you're too damn stubborn for that. Lin also knows I'm too stubborn as well."

I give her smile, "But that's why he loves you."

She laughs, "Yes, I suppose."

"Mai, Madoka." John says, walking over with a smile. He smiles, "Kazuya said for us to bring in the equipment." Both Madoka and I nod, before grabbing some boxes and beginning to follow John.

As we walk down the hallway, people turn to look. Everyone was watching as we all walked down the hallways and in to the room that we've been provided for base. I was used to this by now. Whenever we had a case that people seemed to be around for, everyone liked to be curious about it.

As I'm setting up the shelves for the monitors, Naru and Lin begin to interview some of the students. They all pretty much say the same thing as those five kids did in the first place.

"Mai!" Madoka yells, and my head jerks up in time to see the shelf fall over. I duck my head and wait for the impact. The pain never comes, though.

I look up to see Shuto Hakashi holding up the shelves with one hand. I smile and stand up as he pushes them back in place. I turn towards him, "Thank you, Hakashi-san." I say cheerfully.

He nods once, "You're welcome Taniyama-san." He was nearly as tall as Lin, dammit. I don't understand how a high school kid could be this tall!

"Mai." Madoka says, walking over to us, "Are you alright? You should be lucky that Naru and Lin are out right now, otherwise you'd be getting a scolding for not being more careful." I look around to see that Naru and Lin are in fact gone. John was reading a book and hadn't realized I was nearly hurt. Good thing. I really do like John, but he's some what of a tattle tail. He'd have told that jerk-face.

I laugh awkwardly, "Uh, well, Madoka, this is Shuto Hakashi. He comes to school here." Madoka offers him a polite smile and he nods.

"Do you need any help?" He asks quietly, his very deep voice sounding odd with his quiet demeanor.

I bite my lip before answering, "Well, there's some more supplies in the van that I'd like some help with."

Hakashi nods and turns to walk out of the room. I wave to Madoka (who gives me a sneaky smile) and leave the office.

Before I know it, both Hakashi and I have everything set up in the base. Naru doesn't seem to mind that I have the silver haired boy helping us because he doesn't say anything.

"Do you play sports?" John asks Hakashi, sitting down on the couch next to me. Hakashi was sitting in a chair quietly, reading a book.

"I used to." Hakashi says, "But I was kicked out and now I'm in the chess club."

"But you're huge, Hakashi!" I exclaim, "You've got tons of muscle and you're at least six-two! Why'd they kick you out?"

"For a really stupid reason." Hakashi comments, and I get the feeling that he doesn't want to talk about this anymore. John apparently had the same feeling, because he changed the subject.

**—**

I place Naru's tea in front of him. All of the high schools have gone home and it's surprisingly late. I hadn't even realized what time it was until Naru ordered tea.

"Any theories yet?" I ask Naru, leaning against the desk that he was sitting at.

He glances up at me before looking back down at the computer and his little black notebook, "A few."

_'That's all I'm going to get from him.'_ I think.

_'Not nessisarily.'_ Gene tells me, _'Give him your opinion.'_

_'How do you know I have an opinion?'_

_'I'm permanently in your mind, Mai.'_ Gene says matter-of-factly,_ 'Plus, I've been knowing you for nearly four years now. You're like the little sister I never had. I know you defiantly have an opinion.'_

I sigh, "Do you think it's maybe a male spirit who is getting back at all of the girls around him because they never noticed him while he was alive?"

Naru looks up at me fully now, "It's defiantly a possibility."

I bite my lip, "It could probably also be a spirit who has a dislike for other females. Most likely a female. She would have probably had a boyfriend who would have left her for another girl. So she created an instant dislike for anyone else who spoke to her ex-boyfriend. Somehow, all of these girls came in to contact with the same guy, and now they're all being terrorized."

Naru was leaning back in his chair now. His arms were crossed over his wide chest, and I could see the mark on his neck again. What is that? It can't be a tattoo. Naru couldn't have got a tattoo. It's just… it's Naru!

"You're a lot more perceptive than you used to be." He comments in the same matter-of-fact tone that Gene had used not five seconds ago.

I smile down at him, "Blame Madoka." He raises an eyebrow, but I see the corner of his mouth lift up. He's been doing that a lot more lately. Letting the small smiles drift just slightly above the surface of his mask. It's not much, but it's enough. The more I see of the real Naru, the more I fall.

"Noll." Lin calls. Naru stands and I follow to the monitors that Lin are watching. Lin turns up the volume on the camera and I hear it as well.

_"Vade contra eum!"_ A female voice shouts.

"What language is that?" Naru asks Lin.

"It's Latin." I tell Naru, "I think it means… _'Stay away from him.'_ But if this is a high school girl, why would she be speaking in Latin?"

"Maybe it's not a high school girl." Naru says, "Mai, call Yasuhara and have him research the history of this school building."

"On it." I say, pulling out my cell phone and dialing Yasu.

"Hey Mai." Is Yasu's tired reply.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I wake you up?

"Nah. I'm study for my test that's coming up soon." He yawns.

I laugh, "Alright, well, do you wanna take a break from that?"

"What you got for me, boss?" Yasu says excitedly, probably happy to be pulled away from all that studying.

"We're at Hakitori High School. I need you to research the school and find out if anything at all happened with some type of girl who spoke Latin." As a side note, I add, "She would have been dumped by a man who's descendants might be alive today."

"Gotcha boss. I'll get on it now."

"Thanks Yasu." I hang up.

John and Madoka are siting on the couch and going through an old year book. I walk over to them and curl up by Madoka. She grins at me and pats her lap. I rest my head on my teacher's thigh, and then I'm out like the light.


	5. Chapter Five

**Day Two:**

* * *

_They need to stay away. If they get near him, they'll all perish. He's evil. He'll use them and then throw them away as he likes! Why can't they hear me? I'm speaking clearly!_

_"Vade contra eum!" I shout at them all, "Et non erit tibi!"_

_STAY AWAY FROM HIM!_

* * *

"Mai, wake up." Naru's monotone voice says. My eyes open and I see him floating above me. He raises an eyebrow, "Get up and get ready. You're coming with me."

I yawn and sit up. Naru moves backwards to allow me room to stretch and I rub the sleep from my eyes afterwards. I look up at Naru, "Where are we going?"

"Does it really matter?" His eyes flash. It's some type of challenge from him. I don't know what he's challenging me for, but I get the feeling that if I tell him that it does matter, he'll close up completely and be the Naru from before.

"No." I tell him, staring deep in to his blue eyes that seem to sparkle with something new, "I suppose it doesn't."

His face remains expressionless, but his eyes smile for me, "Then get up, idiot." I smile before standing.

About five minutes later, we walk in to the lunch room to see everyone with some type of breakfast. I squeal and run forward. Madoka laughs and tosses me some chop sticks before I devour the miso soup.

John laughs at me, "Mai, you must really like miso soup."

I lick my lips, and nod, "It's my favorite. Normally, for breakfast, I have miso soup and—" Madoka places a cup in front of me. I laugh, "Tea!"

"I don't realize you liked tea so much." John comments.

I smile at him, "Blame Naru." John and Madoka laugh as Naru glares at me from across the table. I grin at him and wink. His eyes widen slightly before he smirks at me and then sends me a look that I can happily say should be outlawed in every single country in the world.

It should be illegal for one man to make women want to drop their panties in the middle of breakfast!

_'WHOA!'_ Gene's shocked voice bounces around in my head,_ 'Keep your thoughts to yourself, Mai!'_

_'Then get out of my head, Gene!'_ I yell back, fighting down the blush that's threatening to surface.

"Hurry up and eat." Naru tells me, breaking my line of thoughts with Gene, "After breakfast you're going on a walk through."

I sigh, "Yes Naru."

**—**

"Do you sense anything?" Naru asks me as we walk around the school in the early morning light. I move my hands in a so-so manner and he sighs. I see him reach up and rub his shoulder with his long fingers.

"Are your shoulders hurting?" I ask him. He watches me for a moment, before nodding. I gesture to a chair and he moves towards it. He sits down and I grab his shoulders with my hands, and begin to rub.

"You should have been a masseuse." He says, sounding loud in the quiet building.

I laugh, "I don't think so. I like my job." He stays silent, but I can feel the tension leave his body as I massage him in the silent school building. The sun was sending off streaks against the floor and walls. I could see our shadows being projected on to the wall.

"Did I force you in to this job, Mai?" Naru asks quietly. I could feel the rumble of his voice from his shoulders.

I stop rubbing and lean over his shoulder, "Why would you think that?" When he doesn't answer me, I sigh and walk in front of him. This was going to be so embarrassing, but whatever was running through Naru's mind was making alert signals go off in my brain.

I kneel in front of his legs and grab his larger hands in my own. He looks at me with his mask on, but the mask isn't complete. I can see the emotions churning in his eyes. In my minds eye, I see a small little boy with sad blue eyes and dark hair.

_Oh, Naru._

"I don't ever want you to think that again, Naru." I tell him quietly but firmly. My hands were grasping his larger ones tightly, but his remained loose. I bite my lip, "When you first hired me, it was out of pity. One orphan helping another, and I understand that. I don't normally like it when others pity me, but your pity is what helped me realize my gifts, and it helped me meet my family. It also helped me meet Eugene, who's admittedly annoying but he's like the older brother that I never had." I swallow the lump in my throat and stare down at our hands before continuing in a whisper, "It also helped me meet you. I don't know what I would have done had I never met you, Naru."

Everything is painfully silent for a moment, before his hands tighten on my own. He sighs and leans forward. I feel cool yet oddly soft lips press against my forehead for a moment, before Naru stands up.

_'He doesn't even kiss mother anymore…'_ Gene murmurs in the back of my mind. I ignore him though; I don't want to acknowledge what he just said.

I'm still determined to make Naru understand that I love him and not Gene (haven't exactly figured that part out yet…), but I really don't have any hope that we'll be together. I know eventually, I'll have to move on. However, in all honesty, I don't think I'll ever be able to get over my narcissistic professor.

He stands up completely and offers me a hand. We don't speak as we continue the walk through, but Naru walked closely behind me.

* * *

"So you didn't feel anything at all?" Lin asks me, typing on his laptop.

I sigh, and rub the bridge of my nose, "Well, it was like something was just barely touching the edge of my consciousness."

"Like there was something there, only it was trying to hide." Madoka says, biting her thumb.

I nod, "Exactly."

Lin and Madoka were talking to me about the walk through in the base, while Naru and John had left a little while ago to go see Yasu about the research.

A sudden wetness between my legs makes me blush and I face palm myself, "Dammit."

Madoka looks alarmed, "What's wrong, Mai?" I look at her and give her the 'you-know-what' look, and she seems to catch on. She sighs, "Mai, you're supposed to keep track of this thing. You can memorize the mother of all languages, but you can't keep track of your period?" Lin stops typing for a moment, before resuming with a small smile on his face.

_I'm glad you think this is funny!_ I glare at the onmyoji, who just snorts in response. Madoka digs around in her purse until she produces a pad. She hands it to me with a wave of her other hand in the direction of the bathroom that had been provided to us.

On my way in, I stop by my bag and grab a fresh pair of underwear, before walking in.

**—•—•—**

_I watch the little brown haired woman deal with that blood between her legs. That was one of the biggest turn off's about women. They bled like that every month. It was seriously gross._

_But I'll be damned if this one wasn't sexy._

_Long brown hair that nearly reached her waist, with cinnamon brown eyes, large breasts, a small waist, and a very plump behind. She had some muscle on her too._

_I close my eyes for a moment and imagine what it would be like to have her underneath me with her face bloody from my love taps and have her screaming for me to stop. I'd continue to screw her brains out with her screaming for help… but no one would hear her._

_I open my eyes to find her looking in the mirror. Her eyes are wide and she's staring directly at me. I chuckle, _"Hi, little girl._" I lunge. She screams and then I knock her out._

**—•—•—**

**Yasuhara's Point of View:**

"John." I grin at the priest that's standing there with the big boss when I open my apartment door, "Mai didn't tell me you were back from Australia."

John nods, "Yes, well, Mai is a very busy woman."

I let the two of them in and lead them to my couches. I grin at John, "You should have been with us on the last case, John. Mai could have used you guidance. She made a slime ball beat the crap out of himself." John laughs.

"What did you find, Yasuhara?" The big boss cuts in the middle of our conversation.

I clear my throat, "Well, the school has always been just that— a school. Except, it used to also be a school for a lot of people who were being flown in during wars, for training, equipment, engineers, and pretty much everything else that has to do with that." I run a hand through my already unruly hair, "So that means that literally any language could have been in the school at the time. Now, mind you, this was nearly a hundred years ago, when mechanics was just being put on the market. Latin wasn't an uncommon language, especially in nineteenth century Japan. The fact that this ghost speaks Latin isn't surprising whatsoever.

"However, Mai got pretty specific when she called me. So, I looked in to what she told me to, and she was right. A report was written about a murder case. A girl named Abelta was going to school there while her father was working on some ships for Japan. The girl had been sheltered all her life, so the only language she knew was Latin. The boy involved, however, was very unsheltered, and he knew plenty of languages, including Latin. The report doesn't disclose his name, so I can't give you that, but I can tell you that this guy spoke to her a couple of times and they established a kind of relationship."

"What kind?" John asks me, and I laugh.

"Basically, they were friends with benefits. The girl was just playing some type of 'going against daddy's rules' thing, but it kind of backfired on her. She claims that she fell in love with him, and that's why she did it."

"Did what, exactly?" Big boss asks with narrowed eyes.

"She assaulted every female that came in to contact with him." I tell him simply, "But here's where it gets interesting, instead of leaving other girls alone, or telling the police, he just kept making conversation with random girls. Eventually, Abelta was arrested by the Japanese police."

"I thought you said it was a murder case?" John asks me, perplexed.

I nod, "It is, just give me a moment." I push my glasses up on my face, "Well, soon after, the bodies of dead girls from the high school started to turn up. They all appeared to be not only sexually assaulted, but they had been the victim of some kind of sadist with whips and chains."

"Good Lord." John says, his eyes wide.

I nod, "Yeah, it was never proven, but Abelta screamed most nights that it was the boys' fault. Finally, the police had enough of her screaming and they shot her."

"So there are a possibility of two spirits." John asks, "It could be a female still assaulting girls—"

"But you have to figure, why was she assaulting those girls?" I ask, "If her claims were true, she could have been trying to save those other girls from a fate she probably endured."

"So Abelta could be trying to ward off other girls from the young man who did all these things?" John asks quietly, "That would mean either she's confused, or the spirit of both are still in the school."

"It's a high possibility." I say, "But what gets me is, if these spirits have been here since the nineteenth century, why act out now?"

"Maybe one of the children did something to bring this all about." John says, "Maybe something like amateur devil worshipping, and instead of calling the devil, they got his demon."

"No." Big boss cuts in our conversation suddenly, "He wouldn't be a demon yet. If he was called on by a student, then that could mean that he's transitioning between an angry spirit and a demon. If he was already a demon, Lin's shiki would have sensed it, and Mai would have—" Boss's eyes grow wide, "Mai's charms. They wouldn't work against him."

"Oh no." I say, a sudden sense of foreboding filling me until it feels like I'm going to throw up.

As if on que (I swear God hates us, sorry John) Boss's cellphone rings, and he answers, "Madoka, tell me you aren't calling because Mai's gone missing." … "We'll be right over."

He hangs up and stands, "Yasuhara—"

"I'm coming," I say, grabbing my apartment keys and my wallet, "Let's go." I follow a hurried John and Boss in to a sleek looking black car. A few moments later, we're speeding down the road to go save our favorite little cinnamon-eyed secretary.

**—**

We're there in under ten minutes, although considering we were doing fifty in a twenty-five, I'd say we got there quicker than we were supposed to. It's a wonder we weren't stopped by the police. Lin is standing by the door when we show up. Soon we're following the long legged man in to the school, and in the back of my mind, I'm wondering where everyone is. It's very early in the morning, but it's nearly six o'clock, and I don't see any teachers or janitors or anything like that. The halls are completely empty.

"Oh, good, you're here." Madoka says on a sigh of relief as we walk in.

Just in an attempt to lighten the mood, I grin at the pink-haired woman, "I know you're completely in love with me, but for Gods' sake woman, you're married!" Madoka rolls her eyes, but grins at me.

"What happened?" Boss asks in a measured tone.

"Mai was having…" Madoka pauses, "Issues, and—"

"What kinds of issues?" I ask, curiosity making me lean forward.

Madoka sighs, "She'd started her monthly."

I feel my face scrunch up, "Gross."

Madoka rolls her eyes, but continues, "She went to the bathroom, and then we heard her scream. Lin kicked the door in, but Mai had already been taken." She looks at Boss, "Mai may be an idiot, but she's not stupid. She wears that bracelet you gave her for graduation all the time. It's water resistant, so she literally never takes it off."

I keep forgetting it was Boss that had sent that to her.

The dark haired professor sighs, "Well, with out Hara-san's help, the only way we would be able to find her in time is with psychometry."

"But won't that harm you?" I ask, "You know Mai would kick all of our asses if anybody ended up in the hospital over her." John casts me a look, and I grin sheepishly at him.

_Oops._ Forgot. No cussing in front of the Father. It's a pet peeve of his.

"I don't believe it's any of your business." Boss tells me coolly. I roll my eyes as he walks over to her bag. After digging in it for a moment, he pulls out her wallet. In the front of it is a slide, and he pulls two pictures out. One is a photo of a gorgeous woman with big cinnamon eyes and a wide smile holding on to her baby belly, and behind her is a man with brown hair and a happy tilt to his otherwise straight face.

These were Mai's parents.

Madoka sighs, "I never get tired of seeing that picture. She looks so much like her mom." Lin nods in agreement.

We all watch as the boss stares at the photograph impassively, before looking at the second one. It's a picture of the entire SPR team. It was just before we left to go on the case that would eventually lead us to Eugene Davis' body. Mai was still sixteen and she had her short hair. I was standing next to her while Monk was behind her next to Ayako. Boss was standing on the other side of Mai, with Lin behind him and Masako on the other side of him. I'm not even sure who was taking the picture. I think it was timed.

Sometimes I missed the days when Mai was still that happy-go-lucky and that careless, but then I remember how grateful she is for the rest of us, and I can't help but be grateful for my favorite little fire cracker either.

Boss silently closes his eyes and grasps each photograph in a different hand. Soon enough, Boss opens his eyes, "She's in some type of storage unit." He turns to me, "Get the blue print."

I run over and grab the large piece of paper. I trace a line to all of the storage units. There are eight of them. I glance up, and there are only five of us.

_Dammit!_

Madoka grins suddenly, and walks over to Mai's bag. She pulls out the little pink cell phone and flips it's open. Whoever she calls, she puts it on speak phone, and they answer on the second ring, "Hiya Mai-chan!"

That was a guy. A younger sounding guy, but still a guy. Why the hell would Mai have the phone number of a younger GUY on her phone? I'm curious now.

"Metigami Natsu! This is Koujo Madoka, I work with Mai. We need your help. Mai's gone missing and we don't have enough people to cover the building. Bring your brother."

"Ma'am yes ma'am!" The boy answers cheerfully, and then hangs up.

Madoka calls someone else, and they pick up on the first ring, "What's wrong?" The voice was really deep and made the phone visibly vibrate in Madoka's hand.

"Hakashi-kun!" Madoka greets cheerfully and surprisingly informally. She must have met him earlier yesterday, while Hakashi-san was helping with the base, and they must have become friends, "Mai's gone missing and I was wondering if you would like to come help us look for her?"

"I have chest club at two-thirty." Hakashi-san says, "As long as we're done before then."

"I'm sure we will be."

"Then I'm on my way." The phone hangs up.

"When did all of them trade numbers?" John asks, sounding genuinely confused.

"She had all of their numbers before they left the office." Boss says, "Mai always keeps our clients' numbers on hand for situations."

Fifteen minutes later, all three boys are here. Apparently, these same three boys were the ones who had shown up at the office with the case. They looked like an odd bunch. For one, two of them were twins, but one of them wore glasses. They both had bright orange hair and bright golden colored eyes. They were about my height, and to be honest, they looked pretty damn awesome.

The last guy was humongous. He was almost as tall as Lin, with silver hair and dark eyes. He looked like he played some type of sport, but he apparently didn't if he had to be back for chess club. I can bet you no one messed with the chess club though.

"Alright, boys," Madoka says, ushering them over to the blue prints, "There are eight storage rooms, and Mai is in one of them. I need you three to check this one, this one, and this one." She points the three closest to us out.

"We'll take this one and this one." Natsu says, pointing to the two nearest to the base.

"I'll take this one." Hakashi-san says, pointing to the one by the gyms. He left the closest one after the twins' out.

"I'll do this one then, I guess." Madoka says, sounding annoyed. She just wanted to get away from the base, and also annoyed that Hakashi-san didn't listen to her.

Lin smirks at her, "Noll and I will do these." He points to the ones farthest away from here. Madoka scowls at him and I laugh.

"Then I'll do the last one."

"Alright," Boss says, "Grab a walkie talkie and go."

* * *

_"Empty over here."_ Madoka says.

_"Nothing here."_ Natsu chirps.

_"Or here."_ Kaname chimes after his brother.

"She isn't here either." I say in to the walkie talkie.

_"It's clear."_ Lin's deep voice says.

_"I found her."_ Hakashi-san rumbles,_ "You might want to come see though."_ I run towards Hakashi-san's closet. We all get there at the same time, and we find a shirtless Hakashi-san holding his now soaked shirt to a large gash on Mai's cheek.

"Lin, call an ambulance." Boss and Madoka say at the same time. Madoka shrugs off her jacket and rips the sleeve off. She folds it in squares and holds it to Mai's face.

"Uh, Boss Man," my teeth chatter, "You might want to calm down a little." The man in question was staring down at Mai with frosty eyes. His hands were clenched at his sides, and I could see a nerve jumping in his jaw.

"Noll." Lin growls before answering the person on the other end.

"What's wrong with him?" Natsu asks me, huddling in to himself in an effort to escape the freezing atmosphere.

"Boss has an ability that can cause the temperature to drop when he gets angry or frustrated." I bite out, "Right now, I think he's angry."

"That's unfortunate." A deep and twisted voice says. We all look up to see a warped man standing in front of Mai.

Boss growls, the sound barely sounding human. I'm forced to my knees as a pressure settles over all of us. The only person that doesn't crouch to the ground is the boss man himself.

_Oh no._

Boss is losing it.


	6. Chapter Six

**Thanks to Ferb O. Oche for making me laugh with your last review.**

**Heh.**

**Spiritual DNA.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Madoka's Point of View:**

The pressure of Noll's power presses down on all of us as I can see the veiled fury dancing in his blue eyes that I've grown accustomed to. The nearly demonic spirit laughs loudly and I shriek as the sound of a whip is right next to me, and then another gash is on Mai.

Lin's beautiful whistle echoes around me and I feel the familiar and comforting feeling of his shiki flying around us and protecting us. The spirit roars in anger and I turn in time to see his hand reach for us.

"Get away from them." Noll growls; a sharp white light bursts past me and the spirit yowls in pain. I turn and see the black haired professor tea lease yet another burst of a PK blast and the spirit is blown to bits. However, Noll doesn't calm down.

"Noll!" Lin yells, trying to fight his way through the power of Noll's anger.

"Noll!" I shout over the howling of his spiritual pressure, "Listen to me! You need to calm down! We have to get Mai to the hospital before she loses too much blood!" Noll looks at the two of us, and his gaze trains on the small brown haired woman. Slowly, the anger in his eyes disappears and the pressure lets up slowly.

Lin stand quickly and moves behind Noll, who stares at Mai for a few more moments, before his shoulders begin to slump and his eyes flutter shut.

I look over at the boys and I see the twins unconscious, Yasu panting on the ground, and Hakashi-kun was standing up as if nothing happened. Geez. How strong is that guy?

"The ambulance is on it's way." Lin's voice reaches me as he lies Noll down on the ground.

"He's really protective over her, isn't he?" A deep voice says from my left, and I look over to see Hakashi-kun watching us.

I smile at him, "Something like that." He seems to know what I mean because he smiles slightly, which makes his dark eyes shine. I laugh, and continue adding pressure to Mai's face.

* * *

I've never seen him look this angry. Not at Lin, me, his mother, or even Gene. He was practically foaming at the mouth as he glowers at the poor doctor, who was practically quaking where he stood.

**—**

After we got the two of them in an ambulance, we all hurried to the hospital, and moved both of them in to the same room. Not only was it cheaper, but it was easier considering we all wanted to visit the both of them.

Mai was issued a sedative as the nurses and doctor rolled her away. Noll, however, was just diagnosed with dehydration, malnutrition, and a severe case of insomnia. Although I know that the last one was normal for my former male student.

It only took Noll two hours to wake up, and he was immediately bombarded with questions about what happened. He retold the story once, and the called for the doctor. After the man was finished checking him up, he asked the question that we all ha been waiting to hear, "What about Mai Taniyama?" His shoulders are tense and he's staring hard at the doctor, expecting the worse.

The doctor gives him a questioning look, "Are you next of kin?"

"Mai doesn't have any next of kin." I say softly, used to this type of thing, "She's been a legal orphan since she was a junior high student. This is Kazuya Shibuya, however, her legal employer of four years. And I am Madoka Koujo, her supervisor of three years. You may check the records if you like."

The doctor leaves and returns with a Mai's folder. He sighs, "Taniyama-san's injuries weren't all badly sustained. As a matter of fact, she couldn't have broke her arm in a better place." He smiles, "She'll be all healed up in a little over two months. Over the years, her healing process hasn't changed a bit."

"Is that a good thing?" Monk asks, looking confused.

"That's an excellent thing." Ayako says, the relief practically flowing from her, "Children heal faster than adults, so the simple fact that her healing process hasn't changed is wonderful. It means she won't be stuck with that cast long enough for it to honestly aggravate her." The room instantly lightens with this good news.

The doctor smiles, before his face becomes very professional, "However, despite this good news, I'm afraid that there is bad news as well." A dark cloud seems to cast over all of us, and the room cools. I notice Lin put a hand on Noll's shoulder, but he doesn't say anything.

"She's not in a coma, is she?" Ayako asks, her watering eyes betraying the strong note in her voice.

"No, nothing like that." The doctor says. He flips over a few pages in Mai's folder, and says, "The gash on Taniyama-san's cheek was much to deep for butterfly stitches or a simple patch. I've sewn stitches to keep the gash close to allow it to heal. However, do to the need of stitches, we believe that a scar might arise to her skin." And que Noll's menacing glare.

**—**

"Scar?" Monk asks, grabbing Ayako's shoulder, who looked as if she was frozen in place.

"How bad?" I ask, millions of emotions flooding me all at the same time as thousands of possibilities flash through me. How bad was that gash again?

The doctor moves his gaze from Noll, and clears his throat before answering, "If it does scar, which is nearly one hundred percent likely, it won't be a drastic scar." He pull out a picture and we're shown Mai's face after the stitches were put in, "If anything, it should be just a little pink scar." He gives us all a smile, "You don't have to worry about her face being ruined."

"That's not what we're worried about." Masako, who had been quiet up until now, says with her sleeve covering her mouth. She shoots a glare towards the doctor, "Do you take us for shallow simpletons?"

The doctor blanches. He resembles a fish until I clear my throat to catch his attention, "Thank you doctor." He gratefully accepts my way out of this room, but not before saying, "Taniyama-san should be brought here very soon. However, the medicine might make her disoriented for a little while, but it should wear off." Then he leaves.

"They gave her laughing gas?" Noll asks. He probably hadn't memorized that part of Mai's employee review.

I smile at him, "Mai is allergic to any other sedative. She reacts differently each time, so her chart says that if she needs to be sedated, the hospital is to use the gas."

He nods once, and after a brief silence, turns to everyone else, "After Mai is brought, I want all of you to return to the high school and pack up the equipment. Afterwards, go home." They all nod, at least content with the idea that Noll will let them see Mai before they leave. My former student turns to my husband, "I need you to call on the Metigami twins, Miki Yatoshi, and Shuto Hakashi. Have them all come here." Lin nods, and it's then that the door opens and Mai is rolled in.

She's awake but is gazing around the room. She must have just woken up. She turns and grins as us as best as she can with the stitches in her left cheek, "Hey guys!"

A collective laugh comes from all of us. Even Noll, who's normally straight faced, cracked a smile. I turn to them and grin, "Watch." I turn back to my student, "Mai?"

"Yeah boss?" She slurs, pressing the button that sits her up so that she can look at all of us.

"Where's my supersuit?" I say in a deep voice.

Mai laughs and plays the part, "What?!"

"Where! Is! My! Super! Suit!" I practically shout.

"Why do you need to know?!" Mai shrieks back.

Monk and Yasu laugh, "The Incredibles!" Masako's shoulders were shaking and I could feel Lin's shaking form behind me. Ayako had a large smile her face and John was chuckling.

"Does she do that everytime?" Yasu says, still grinning from ear to ear.

I nod, "But this is my favorite." I turn to Mai and everything gets quiet, before I sing very quickly, "Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?!"

"SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS!" Mai yells, her arms going up in to the air. Everyone laughs again.

Eventually though, they all have to leave, and I make my way to the middle of the room, where a chair sits next to a table. I sit down, and everything gets quiet as Mai daydreams and Noll reads yet another book. Eventually, I put my head down and rest.

"Mai?" Noll's deep voice catches both of our attention, but I don't make it obvious that it caught mine as well. He probably thought that I'd fallen asleep because my breathing evened out. I used to play this trick on both of the twins all the time when they were still my students.

"Yeah?" Mai asks, her words still slurred.

Everything is quiet for a moment, before Noll sighs, "Never mind." Disappointment crashes over me. I really wanted to know what these two talked about when they thought no one was around.

"Don't worry," Mai says, slightly less slurred. Her giggle makes me smile, "It's not your fault, Naru. I'm fine, and it's just a scar." I hear her sigh, "It's just a face. Does it really matter that much?" Her current insecurity was so bluntly obvious in her voice, even if she didn't mean it to be.

I would consider Mai as my little sister, just as I would consider Noll and Gene both my little brothers. I know all of them a lot better than they think I do, and I can tell when they're worried. Mai is worried that Noll will think she's ugly with the scar on her face, but I know him better as well.

"No." Noll's honesty is very clear in his voice, "It doesn't matter at all."

I can bet that Mai has the smile that she saves for Noll on her face, even if I can't see her, "Kay." And with that, everything is fine.

* * *

**Mai's Point of View:**

"I seriously hate you." I growl, glaring at the dark haired man who was chuckling sheepishly while rubbing the back of his head. He holds open the office door for me and pushes the elevator button.

"I know you do." Yasu says, he sighs, "I'm really sorry Mai!"

"But why my apartment building?" I ask, honestly a little annoyed, "I really like that apartment! It has a walk in shower! Now I've got to find another apartment that I like! And with in three months!"

The elevator dings and the doors slide open. Naru is reading a book while Madoka is having a cup of coffee. Lin is sitting next to her doing something on his computer. They all look up when we enter and I see Madoka's knowing smile.

"Mai, I'm sorry!" Yasu whines. I ignore him and make my way towards the couches. Naru and Lin both raise an eyebrow while Madoka chuckles soundlessly. He groans and stomps after me like a child, "Please don't be mad at me!"

"What's going on?" Naru says, his eyes darting back and forth between us.

I can feel my eye starting to twitch as a headache forms behind my eyes, "Yasu thought it was an excellent idea to mention to his father that my apartment building was in a nice area for a damn park!"

"So you're being evicted?" Lin asks me, his eyebrows raised.

I nod, rubbing my twitching eye with my hand that isn't hooked to a sling. I sigh, "I have three months to find a new apartment. If not, then they'll give me a really big fine and I'll spend a night in a jail cell." I toss a glare at Yasu.

"I'm sorry!"

"There's extra apartments here, Mai." Madoka's voice tone makes me look at her, and I feel a blush rising to my face. I know what she's doing! She's so trying to put me in the same apartment building as Naru!

"That's actually not a bad idea." Naru murmurs, making my head snap to his so fast that I'm sure I got whip lash. He smirks at me, "Why not?"

I'm sure I resembled a fish. My mouth was opening and closing as I try to formulate an intelligent and coherent sentence. They were all looking at me expectantly, so I did the only thing that I could think of: I nodded.

Madoka squeals, "Oh this is wonderful!" She claps her hands and stands, coming over to squeeze the life out of my poor body as she rattles on about us being neighbors and how we could share sugar and flour and a bunch of other stuff that I didn't catch. I was too preoccupied with Naru's glowing blue eyes, that seems to be watching me with a newfound softness. I feel my eyes flutter slightly, before I smile softly at him, and mouth,_ 'Thank you.'_

He winks.

* * *

It wasn't until the next Saturday that I was able to look at the apartments. Apparently Madoka thought it was a good idea to close up shop for the day. She told me, and I quote, ''Mai, you are going to pick an apartment today! Whether you want to or not! If you don't pick, I'll pick for you." And then she dragged me to the only floor in the entire building that I've never been to.

I sigh for the fifth time today. Nope. Another stupid looking apartment. And no walk in shower.

"You look exhausted." A deep voice says from the door way. I turn to see blue eyes watching me lazily.

My face heats up. I've never seen him like this. No jacket, no tie, the first three buttons of his shirt undone, the sleeves rolled up to his elbow, shirt untucked, and a surprisingly tranquil look on his face.

Jesus, he's gorgeous.

"You look… like a hobo." I giggle. He rolls his eyes, but I see the mirth in his eyes.

"What exactly are you looking for?" He asks, crossing his arms over his large chest. The black ink on his neck has been exposed more, and I see that from the one black line on his neck, it flares out three ways to his chest. What is that thing?!

"Um, it's actually kind of stupid…" Naru just keeps watching me with the same lazy expression, and I bite my lip, "A walk in shower."

He looks surprised momentarily, before beckoning me with his hand, and turning around. I follow after him with a blush still on my cheeks. Who knew Naru had a good looking butt? He always hid it behind that overly large jacket of his!

He pulls open a door that faces the large windows on the side. I follow him in and feel my eyes bulge at the place. It really was gorgeous. No carpet, except for the living room. Lots of plug ins, with high ceilings and tall door frames. I follow Naru down the apartments hall and to the bathroom. We walk in and I gasp in excitement.

_Walk-in shower!_

"I love it!" I shriek, running over and sliding the big glass door open to see a huge shower.

I do my little happy dance and turn back to Naru, who's got a genuine smile on his face. He rolls his eyes, "Idiot."

"Mai?" Madoka's voice yells from down the hall. Naru and I make our way towards the living room, where Madoka is standing. She grins when she sees us, but doesn't call me on it. She clears her throat, "So?"

"I want this one!" I say, a smile on my face, but then I get serious, "How much is the deposit and the rent?"

Madoka's smile drops, and she leans to the right to look at Naru. I nearly face palm myself. I forgot he was the landlord! I turn to him but flinch back when I see the glower. What's he so mad about?

"Naru—"

"Just move your things in." He says, his cold anger noticeable in his voice. He takes a step closer and his voice drops to a whisper, "Like I'd charge you anything." He brushes past me and out of the door.

My eyes sting. _What did I do?_

"Oh, Mai." Madoka says, her voice soft.

"W-what did I-I do?" I say, turning to her and wiping the tears that slide down my cheeks away angrily. My bangs flop out.

He's such a mercurial jerk!

"You just hurt his pride." She walks forward and pushes my bangs back behind my ear. She kisses my forehead, "That's just Noll, baby. You'll get used to that again, eventually. He's just PMSing for a few moments. Now, let's call everyone and see who can come help move your things." I nod; Madoka and I leave.

**—**

"Wait, what color?" Yasu says over the phone. I can hear the sounds of the store through my speaker. I'd sent Yasu to a hardware store for paint and other supplies.

"Blue." I say, waving to Monk, who had just walked in, "A very light colored blue. Nearly a baby blue."

"Where are you putting baby blue?" Yasu says, but I can hear the clank of paint cans.

"The kitchen is going blue and so is the bathroom. Just get the baby blue, I have everything else." I hang up.

"Mai, how do you want your couches?" Monk asks, walking in with John on the other side of my couch. I direct them on how to put it, and then help Ayako and Madoka with the boxes.

"Mai." Another deep voice says. I turn and see Lin holding a cage, "What the hell is this?"

"That's my cat." I say, with a smile. Everyone in the room freezes. I walk forward and open the cage. I pull my very fat and fluffy black cat out. He meows but begins to purr after I put him on my chest.

"That has got to be the biggest cat I've ever seen, Mai!" Monk exclaims, stretching out a hang to pet him.

_"Rrrrrrrrrrrrr!"_ Daisuke growls, swatting at the long haired man. Monk makes a sound in his throat and jerks his now bleeding hand away from the animal.

I grin, "Yeah, Daisuke doesn't like men." Monk glares at my little baby and I wave him away with my hand, "Leave my baby alone. Girls, do you want to pet him?"

Ayako walks over, "Hey! It's nice to see you again!" The red haired women scratches his head and Daisuke purrs like a kitten.

"I haven't seen him since I gave him to you." Madoka says, a grin on her face as she pets him.

"You gave the damn thing to her?" Monk yells, nursing his bleeding hand.

"Is that the kitten that I found in the tires of the company van?" Lin says, watching all of is pet the huge cat.

I nod, "Yes. I fed him well."

"Okay, enough of that." Madoka says, backing away from my baby, "We have to finish before it gets too cold to work." We all agree, and I put Daisuke back in his cage with a promise to be let go after we're done.

* * *

We're done by the time the sun goes down. I sit on my couch in my new apartment with Daisuke laying across my lap. I giggle and scratch behind his ear, "Do you like our new apartment, Daisuke?" He meows and lays his head down. I laugh, "I guess that's a yes."

"Only you would be able to make a cat that fat." He says from the door way. I turn and look at Naru, leaning against the door frame. I feel like crying again as he watches me with a cool gaze. I look back down at Daisuke. He lifts in head and gazes at me with his big brown eyes. Naru sighs, "Mai—"

"I didn't mean to upset you." I sniffle, I wipe my nose on my shirt sleeve. Daisuke meows and rubs against my hand.

"You didn't upset me, just…" Naru sighs and moves towards me. He sits next to me on the couch. He watches as I pet my cat, and then reaches out a hand. Naru's overly large hand pets my overly large cat, who surprisingly just meows uncomfortably before falling back asleep. I look up at him and see the mark on his neck again.

"Can I ask you something?" I ask him, really hoping he doesn't make a sarcastic remark about how I already did. He nods once, and I lift my hand. He freezes as my hand touches the mark on his neck, "What is that?"

He reaches up and grabs my hand, before standing and pulling me with him. Daisuke jumps off of the couch, and patters in to another room. Naru reaches behind him and grabs the collar of his shirt. My face turns a burning red as I realize his intentions. I try to open my mouth and say something, but the shirt is over his head before I can say anything. My eyes are immediately drawn to the black mark.

It's some type of weird symbol. It looks Greek but it could also be Romanian. I'd actually put money on the Romanian guess because of the curves and edges of the symbol. I look back up at Naru, who's watching me calmly, "What does it mean?"

"What do you think it means?" He retorts, sounding like Madoka for a moment. I sigh, before crouching slightly and reaching out to touch it. He grabs my hand, "No cheating." I grin; he knows Gene can channel psychometry through me. He rolls his eyes, and just answers my question, "It's basically a spiritual energy eater. In the past year, my energy has grown past the normal capacity. This mark takes all the extra energy and forces it to become something else."

"Like what?"

"Substance." Naru says, shrugging slightly, "It could go anywhere in the world."

"Wait, so the extra energy that you don't want goes to other people who need it?" At his nod, I smile at him, "That's a really sweet thing, Naru."

He rolls his eyes, "Whatever." I laugh at him and he shrugs his shirt back on. He watches me for a minute, "Mai?"

"Yes Naru?" I say sweetly, my spirits lifted again since I know what that damn thing is.

"Tea."

Suddenly it clicks. Why he let me move in rent free and why he so easily agreed that I should move in and also why he allowed Madoka to close SPR for the day.

I turn to him with a glare, "You moved me in to be your tea maid?!" He smirks, and I shriek, _"STUPID TEA-LOVING NARCISSISTIC IDIOT!"_


	7. Chapter Seven

**Uhem. Naruisawesome, you, my friend, are hilarious.**

**Oh, and AmericanFairy, yes, I did make up the symbol. I'm sorry.**

**Also, this chapter is kind of choppy. I wanted to get a little bit of this and that in there while speeding along on in the time frame. So all of this happens between early November and middle December. I hope you guys catch on. If not, then I'll just explain better in my next chapter.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

"Hey!" I shout to everyone with a huge smile on my face. The Metigami twins immediately run over to me and start apologizing on Yatoshi's behalf. I just grin and wave them off. I turn to Hakashi-kun, "So, how does it feel to find out nearly every girl in your high school is pining after you?"

Miki Yatoshi was the reason behind the girl spirit attacking all of the girls that came in to contact with a certain silver-haired boy. The evil demon/spirit had been tailing his descendant—Shuto Hakashi— for quite a while and that just added fuel to the fire.

He sighs, "Annoying." I laugh at him.

"Hakashi-san." Naru's deep voice says from behind me. He walks behind me and places a hand on my right shoulder, "May I speak to you for a second?" Shuto nods and they both walk away. The bell rings and everyone has to go to class; I wave goodbye to them as I make my way to the two stoic men.

"Mai," Naru says as I walk up, "How do you feel about having an extra coworker?"

I had read Hakashi-kun's file on the way over here. He used to belong to a rich family, but they all hated that his mother was a culinary maid by trade, and they killed her. His father commited suicide not long after, and Hakashi-kun was put up for adoption in a orphanage. No one ever adopted him. He made a few friends and they taught him how to use his large frame and muscles in a fight.

Basically, Naru's probably about to hire him as a door guard or something.

"That's awesome!" I shriek, excited, "We need a new face around SPR." Hakashi-kun looks back and forth between us and a smile breaks out on his face. I'm struck by just how young he looks as he smiles. I grin back at him and then reasoning pops in to my head. I turn to Naru, "But what would Hakashi-kun be doing?"

Naru smirks, "Well, babysitting you, of course."

My face turns read and anger bubbles in me, "No! No way! Not on your life you stupid narcissist!"

* * *

"This really is unnecessary, Shibuya-san." When Naru ignores him, he turns to me, "Taniyama-san, reason with him please!"." Shuto asks in a panicked tone as we all continue I move the furniture in to the apartment.

I smile up at the silver haired high schooler, "Sorry, Shuto-kun. I can't change his mind once he's made it up." Actually, I probably could (with lots of fighting between us), but I think this will help Shuto in the end. Then I pinch his arm, "How many times have I told you to call me Mai?"

He jerks away on reflex from the pain, "Sorry, Mai."

Monk chuckles, walking in the door with a box. He sets it down and pats Shuto on the back, "You'll get used to Mai's motherly tendencies."

My face burns and I glare at Monk, "I do not have motherly tendencies."

Masako walks over to me. She must have just gotten here. I didn't expect her to be here. She didn't even help me move in last week. I raise an eyebrow at her presence, and she rolls her eyes, "Madoka forced me."

"I did no such thing!" Madoka says in passing. She walks straight in to Shuto's room with a box of his clothes.

Naru apparently didn't think it was appropriate for one of his employees to live in an orphanage so far away. So Lin and Madoka became Shuto's legal guardians and Naru gave Shuto an apartment.

When I heard, I made Naru fresh tea for the rest of the day with out having to be asked. I didn't even wait for a thank you. Naru, however, must have thought it was weird, because he questioned me on it.

**—**

"Here you go, Naru!" I say bubbly as I set down the tea in front of the man who is currently in my good graces. Naru had recently forced Lin and Madoka (not really forced, they agreed with him) to become the legal guardians of Shuto Hakashi, and then Naru gave him an apartment for free rent!

Shuto is an orphan, so he's lived in an orphanage since he was twelve, and he wouldn't be getting his inheritance until he turned eighteen. The fact that Naru displayed the same compassion with Shuto that he did with me makes me feel… all warm and bubbly inside.

If I was his girlfriend, he'd get lucky.

_'You practically are his girlfriend!'_ Gene exclaims playfully,_ 'Go make me nieces and nephews!'_

_'Go away!'_ I growl, but keep a smile on my face as I turn and begin to leave Naru's office.

"Mai." Naru's deep voice makes me freeze in mid-step. I turn and smile at him. He nods to the big comfy black chair that I love.

I feel brief happiness flit through me as I skip over to the chair and sit down. I sink in to it and grin at myself. I look up to see Naru watching me, a question in his raised eyebrow. I grin at him, "I love this chair."

He doesn't say it, but I could practically hear that thought that just flashed in his eyes. _'Idiot.'_ I roll my eyes at him, but perk up when he begins to speak, "Mai, you've been acting…for lack of a better term… odd all day."

I raise an eyebrow, "What do you mean by odd?"

"I mean you've been prompt." Naru says slowly, as if choosing his words carefully, "Normally, I'd have to ask you for tea several times a day. You've been doing this all day." He waves a hand towards the tray. He looks back up at me, and clears his throat, "If this is another one of your stupid pranks because you're mad at me about something—"

"Why do you always think I'm mad at you?" I ask, placing my chin in my palm as my elbow sits on the arm of the chair.

"Because you're always mad at me, Mai." Naru says in a monotone.

"Hey!" I exclaim, standing up and pointing at him playfully, "I resent that!"

He gives that 'would-be' laugh of his, before all amusement is wiped off his face, "Honestly, Mai, did I do anything to make you angry?"

I feel all silliness leave my body and I smile softly at my favorite dark-haired professor. I walk towards him and around the desk. I put my butt on the corner, leaning against the black wood desk. In a moment of boldness, I reach up and brush his thick hair out of his dark blue eyes. I smile softly down at him, "You haven't done anything to make me angry. Just the opposite actually."

He raises an eyebrow, "What do you mean by that?"

"Shuto?" I provide.

His eyes widen and he stands up quickly. His hands go on either side of my hips, and he stares at me, "Who told you about that?"

I laugh, "I would have found out eventually, Naru. I mean, we are neighbors." Suddenly, all of the blood in my body rushes to my face as I realize what kind of position we are in. How did I not notice this before?!

Naru seems to understand my sudden embarrassment because he smirks. He leans closer and I lean back. He just follows. I squeak. Eventually, I'm practically laying down on his desk with Naru hovering over me. Suddenly, he bursts out a loud hiccup. I open my eyes to see a genuine smile on his face. I'm assuming that that hiccup of his was actually Naru trying not to laugh.

I gasp and jump off the desk, "You ass!" I smack his shoulder. He bites his lip. It was probably to keep from laughing again, but it made my pulse raise.

"You haven't answered my question." Naru says, the secret laughter still adding an interesting tilt to his voice.

I feel that same soft smile on my face, "It was Lin, but I'm glad he did. I think it's a really sweet thing for you to do, Naru."

He watches me for a moment, before turning away to look out of the large windows. These particular windows have always been cool to me; ceiling to floor windows that looked out over the rest of the neighborhood. Naru clears his throat, "I only did it because it would be inconvenient for Hakashi-san to live so close away."

I sigh, "Just like it would be inconvenient for me to call you formally by your last name, Davis-san?" He turns and glares at me. I smile at him, "Naru, you know just as well as I do that this is all from the kindness of your heart, and this is just my small way of thanking you."

I walk forward and stand in front of him. I grab the back of his neck and pull him towards me gently. Naru allows it, and I softly brush my lips against his cheek. I whisper, "Thank you." Then stand up straight, and remove myself from Naru office as ordinarily as I could… even though I was probably seven different shades of red.

**—**

"Mai!" Shuto groans childishly, still trying to nag at Naru, "Why won't he listen?" Shuto is actually a really hyper active person. He's just shy around new people. Ever since he started working with us, he's opened up bit by bit.

I laugh and grin up at him, "Because Naru is a stubborn idiot. You'll get used to it."

"Who are you calling an idiot, Mai?" Naru glares.

I offer a sugar sweet smile, "To the same man who is a great professor and self-proclaimed genius yet doesn't know Latin." He looks stupefied for a moment, before he glares hard at me and turns away. My laugh that follows seems to annoy him.

* * *

"No mother!" Naru's voice is echoing in to my apartment. _'Mother'_? Why was he yelling at his mother?

'You'll see.' Gene comments and then he's quiet again. I sigh and slide on some slippers. I hope the hallway isn't too cold. It's eight o'clock at night and I'd already taken my bath, so that means I was in pink cotton shorts and a white tank top.

I walk out of my apartment and go right next door to Naru's. He answers when I knock and watches me for a moment. He was wearing dark blue pajama pants that hung from his hips and a thin black undershirt. It was odd seeing him in something else other than a suit (I'd only ever seen him in pajamas one other time), but then again, he's never seen me in anything like this either.

He suddenly glares, but I know it isn't for me, "Mother, I have to work! I can't just up and leave just because you wish it!" He motions for me to come in with his hand. I follow him in and close the door behind me.

He walks in to the kitchen, still in a heated argument with his mother, "Yes, I realize that mother, but if I were to leave and go home, then who would run the office?" He sits at the table and runs a hand through his already disheveled looking hair. In an attempt to calm him down, I start making tea. After digging around for a few moments, I found a tea kettle and some tea leaves.

Earl Grey.

_Figures._

"Mother, if I were to go to England, I'd take Lin with me, and I won't leave Madoka to have a Christmas with out her husband!" He was shouting in to the phone now, and making gestures with his hands as if he was actually talking to some one in person.

Naru was right though. Before Lin came back, Madoka would have Monk run the office while she went back to England to go visit Lin. It was the only time she ever didn't work. I remember Madoka saying that Naru payed for the tickets every year. I guess that was just another thing he did out of the kindness of his heart.

"Mother, I don't have anyone else I'd want to take with me!" Naru exclaims. I place his tea cup in front of him and he sighs before taking a sip. Suddenly, Naru's head snaps up and his eyes meet mine, "Hold on one moment, mother." He pulls the phone away from his ear, "Mai, do you have anything planned for Christmas?"

My face turns red and I stage whisper to him, "Naru, you are _so_ not about to bring me half way across the world to your parents house just because your mother is annoying you."

"I asked you a question." He glares at me. I mentally groan. Out of all of the men in the world, I had to fall in love with the most Alpha Male of them all.

"No, I don't have anything planned." I roll my eyes.

"You don't have Christmas with Matzusaki-san or Takigawa-san?" He raises an eyebrow, clearly perplexed. The black phone was still slightly held away from his ear, but I had the sneaking suspicion that his mother could hear every word of our conversation. It doesn't bother me as much as I think it should.

"They invite me, but I don't want to ruin their Christmas. John's invited me to the church and Yasu's invited me to his dad's, but I don't want to ruin their Christmas either." I say simply, then sigh, "Besides, I've been having Christmas by myself since I turned eleven."

"After your mother died." Naru murmurs. We're both silent for a moment, before he puts the phone back to his ear, "Mother, change of plans. I'm coming for Christmas. I'll bring Mai as my plus one—"

_"What?!"_ I shriek, standing up so quickly that my chair falls backwards.

"—so have a room prepared for her. One with a walk in shower, as well." … "Yes, mother. You too." Then he hangs up.

"Naru, I can't have Christmas with your family!" I shriek, following behind him as he brings his empty tea cup to the sink. Then he maneuvers around me and walks towards a room that I presume is his living room. Only there isn't a TV. Just several different book shelves with millions of books. He sits on the couch, still ignoring me. I growl, "Naru! Answer me!"

Silence.

**_"Oliver Davis!"_ **I shout. His head jerks up and surprised blue eyes meet mine. I feel my hands clench in to fist as I yell at him, "You can _NOT_ make plans with out me saying the okay! It's not fair and I won't stand for it, you narcissistic idiot!" I'm out of breath now and can feel my eyes stinging with angry tears. I pick up one of his couch pillows and throw it at him. It sails and hits him in the face. It falls on to Naru's lap and he looked completely flabbergasted now.

I don't care what kind of intentions he has! I am my own person and he is not my ruler. I don't care what kind of personality he has or how much I love him, it doesn't give him the right to boss me around when I'm off the clock. I deserve respect, dammit!

_'Mai, calm down.'_ Gene's worried voice bounces around in my head,_ 'Your energy is bouncing around. You're going to get sick.'_ It was too late, I was sweating and I could feel my skin heating up. I groan and put my palm on my forehead.

A cool hand is suddenly on my face and I hear him hiss, "You're burning up."

"That happens sometimes." I murmur, trying to push away the throbbing that is going on behind my eyes. It was making my eye twitch.

"Here." Naru says simply, I look up to see two little red and white pills in his hand.

"What is this? Some type of complex medicine for PK users or something?" I ask, popping the pills in my mouth and taking a swig of the water that he hands me.

"No. Advil." Naru says, looking at me oddly. I blush crimson and sit on his black couch. I sink in to it like the chair in his office. The small happiness reduces my headache slightly. Naru sighs and sits next to me.

After a moment of silence, I speak up, "I meant what I said, Naru. You can't just say that I'm going to England for Christmas."

He sighs, "This temper tantrum of yours isn't about me making plans on your behalf, Mai." He turns and places his arm on the top of the couch while leaning his head on to his hand.

His hand reaches over and everything seems to go in slow motion as his hand grabs mine. He pulls it to him gently and his thumb strokes that place between my thumb and pouter finger. He looks up at me, "What's this really about?"

I stay quiet, still staring down at our hands. His hand was rough and I could feel the callouses on them. How did he get callouses from reading and doing paper work all day? I look up at him and see his PK tattoo poking out of his shirt. I hadn't noticed it was before.

My eyes close as I squeeze the words out, "Naru, I don't want to get in the way of your family's Christmas. I'd feel like…"

"You'd be taking Gene's place." Naru finishes for me, "Mai, that's stupid." My head jerks up as my eyes snap open. My mouth had fallen open and then I connect the pieces. He's trying to make me feel better.

I smile at him softly, "Yeah, it is stupid, huh?" He smiles at me. The action makes me blush and I giggle. He turns back to the front and we sit in silence for a moment. I let my gaze roam and then it lands on a hardcover book that has the inscription: Eugene Davis

"No way." I say, darting forward and picking up the sizable book. I gaze at the dark blue color and then look up at Naru with my best puppy dog eyes, "Can I read it?"

His eyes widen when he sees the book and he stands up with his face hardening, "Absolutely **not**." He jerks the book out of my hands and I flinch back. I take a few steps back and on reflex fold in to myself. My arms cross over my middle and I bend slightly, trying to appear as small as I can. I hate it when he's mad at me.

_'Dammit, Noll…'_ Gene whispers, nearly silent in my mind. If it wouldn't have been so quiet in the room, my mind wouldn't have been quiet enough to hear him.

Naru sighs and I look up to see him run a hand through his hair again. I notice he does that a lot when he's in deep thought, though I've only ever seen him do it when we're alone. It must be a habit that he resists a lot.

Naru take two large steps and then he's in front of me. He grabs my hand gently and places the book in it. He grabs my other hand as well. He makes sure I have a firm grip on the book before letting go, "You can borrow it but don't lose it. Please, just… don't lose it."

I look up in to his eyes and I'm shocked by the swirl of emotion I see there, but the one displayed the most is trust. My instincts are screaming at me that this is another test. A big one. If I fail it… I don't even want to think about what would happen.

"I promise, Naru." I say truthfully. Nothing is going to happen to this book. Naru gazes at me for a moment with a look that I'm beginning to realize he's only ever given me. I'm not sure what that look means, but it seems important.

He nods silently, then he murmurs, "It's getting late. You should go home and sleep. I'll book our flight for Friday, so you have four days to prepare. You still have that passport that Madoka made you get right?" At my nod, he nods as well, "Good. I'll book nighttime tickets, so we'll be there around nighttime in England as well. I mean, if you want to come that is."

He looks at me with those blue eyes and I can't resist the submissive smile that crosses my face, "Yes, Naru. I'd love to spend Christmas with you and your family."

He smiles down at me, "Good."

* * *

"Oh, that's awesome!" Madoka gushes, sitting down next to me on the office couch. I had just told her about yesterday night, leaving out the talk about Gene (I just told Madoka that he asked nicely) and the book ordeal. Madoka grins at me, "You're going to love Luella. She's such a sweetheart."

Lin, who was sitting opposite us in the chair, snorts, "Luella is a manipulative hyper active woman with a sweet smile and devil horns hidden behind that overly long hair of hers." Lin glances up at me, a teasing glint in eye, "On second thought, you two might very well get along."

Naru smirks as I gasp. Madoka laughs at me when I start spouting insults at the Chinese man. He chuckles before looking back up, "And Mai, make sure you pack warm clothes. England is very cold naturally, and considering it's winter, I'd say it's snowing."

"Snowing?" I say, perking up, "Really?"

"Yeah." Madoka grins, "It's thicker there than it is here, though."

"Cool!" I exclaim happily.

"My office is not a café." Naru's voice reaches me, "Mai, get back to work and make me some tea."

I groan and lift my back pack up, which contains my school books and the dark blue book that I've been protecting with my life since I got it yesterday.

Excitement flits through me as I think about the upcoming trip. I've never been out of the country. Madoka just made me get the passport just in case. I couldn't wait to actually use it, and on top of that, I get to see where Naru and Gene both grew up. That's awesome.

And the best part is… I wonder if I can convince Mrs. Davis to show me some pictures of Naru when he was a kid?


	8. Chapter Eight

"Yaaaaay!" I exclaim, looking at my now cast-free arm. I was able to get the cast off my arm the day before I'm supposed to leave with Naru for England (I'd taken the sling off nearly right after I got out the hospital). After a promise to take it easy, anyway. My arm is still tender if I pick anything up that's heavier than my hair brush, but I'm just excited to have it off.

"Now, your stitches seem to be gone for the most part." The doctor says, adding pressure gently to the now close wound. He sighs, "Well, I suppose your happy the cast is gone." At my enthusiastic nod, he laughs, "Well, Taniyama-san, you can leave now. I'll see you after New Years for a check up on your arm."

"Gotcha Doc!" I chirp, bouncing off of the bed and skipping out of the room.

"Finished?" Monk asks, standing next to his wife with his arms crossed. Ayako was holding her purse with a smile on her face. I nod and we all leave.

—

"Mai?" Monk says as I walk towards the office complex.

I turn towards him with a questioning look, and he sighs while stepping forward, envelopes me in to a warm hug. I hug him back with confusion filling me, "Um, Monk, what are you…?"

"I can't believe this." He pulls away and holds me at arms length, "It seems like just yesterday you were asking me to teach you something useful for the case, and now you're going to England with an idiot who doesn't realize he's the love of your life…" His eyes were watering and I felt mine sting with tears.

A nearly inaudible smack is heard as Ayako light taps Monk of the back of the head with her hand, "Idiot. Now you've set me off." Ayako hugs me and Monk pulls the both of us in a hug.

"Guys, I'll be back after New Years. It's a two week vacation." I say, feeling the tears run down my face, "What are you two getting all sentimental for?"

"Because some where along the way…" Ayako starts.

"…you grew up." Monk finishes. He brushes my bangs behind my ear.

"Guys…" I hiccup, "I love you two."

"We love you too, jou-chan." Monk says, "And we're so proud of you. I'm sure your mom and dad would be proud too." That made me sob.

Ayako hiccups, "Houshou, you idiot." She clenches me to her and we sob together as my entire being is filled with undying love for these two parental figures. Somewhere, deep in my heart, I think my parents would have loved these two, just as I love them.

* * *

"I don't care how rich you are," I say to the dark-haired man next to me, "This is completely unnecessary, Naru."

With out asking me, Naru had booked us two**first class** tickets on a round trip to England. As of right now, we're both seated very comfortably in a first class waiting space and while I was reading the only book every written by Eugene Davis, Naru was avoiding the flirting glances of every single woman here… even a few men.

I'm not jealous… okay that's a lie, but I'm beginning to get used to the way that women look at Naru. He's handsome, not to mention smart, rich, and (the best part) he's British!

"Mai, I realize I'm handsome, but can you not stare at me?" Naru snaps me out of my silent praising and I scowl. Dammit. I turn back to my book, but it isn't long before I realize I've read the same paragraph several different times. I sigh and close the book, placing it back in to my carry on silently.

I sit in silence, and eventually our plan is boarding. It isn't long after that that we get in to our seats, which is large seats that have two on each side instead of three like coach. Naru moves to the front of the plane and we're on the very first row of seats. He stands to the side and gestures for me to sit by the window. I plop in to the seat with a relieved 'oof' while Naru sits elegantly.

"Mai, you've been quiet since we drove here this morning." Naru says quietly, leaning towards me and away from the prying eyes of the flirtatious people around us.

I turn to him from the window, "I'm a little worried about England…" He raises an eyebrow, a silent question to elaborate, "Well, there's plenty of things. Meeting your parents for one. I mean, what if they don't like me, Naru? SPR is a branch of BSPR, which means that they could fire me if they wanted. I wasn't even really qualified for the job in the first place, that's enough grounds for my expulsion." I run a hand through my hair, grateful that there is no longer a cast to hit me in the head.

"What else?" He says, his voice still lowered.

"Madoka and Lin said that it snows. I've never had a good experience with snow."

"They lied. It doesn't snow that much in England." Naru grabs my hand (the one that used to have a cast on it), and gently begins to rub his finger over the knuckles. One hand was wrapped around my wrist while his pointer finger was gently rubbing the bumps of my knuckles, "It only really snows around January and February, so you might see some snow before we leave, it might even be enough to restrict the roads. But it won't be enough to cause anything bad to happen."

"Really?" I look up at him. Right about now, I'm positive that my eyes were too big for my face, that happens a lot, actually.

Naru's eyes soften for some reason and that little half smile of his appears on his face. My face heats because he's just that handsome. His voice drops to a near whisper, "Really."

I smile at him. Even if he is a jerk most of the time, this 'new Naru' makes me want to be around him all of the time, even when he's being an idiot. I just love him. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. I just do. I don't think I'd be able to put it in to words if I was asked how much.

"And about my parents," his voice was back up, but still quiet, "They'll love you. Especially my mother. Both of you seem innocent at first drop, but eventually you find out that even the most powerful exorcist wouldn't be able to get rid of you."

My mouth drops open and I push him away, "Stupid idiot!" He smirks and I turn scarlet as everyone looks at us. I glare at him, but a reluctant smile stretches across my face at the face that Naru made me feel better. In his own annoying way, anyway.

* * *

"Mai, wake up."_ A deep voice beacons me from the black abyss of my sweet non-dreaming world._

_No…_

"Mai."_ The voice says again, softer this time. It sounded slightly amused._

_Go away…_

"Mai!" My eyes snap open as Naru shakes me harshly. I look up at him with hazy vision and he smiles down at me secretively, "Get up. We need to unboard."

I yawn and nod before standing. Naru grabs my bag for me and grasps my elbow, before pulling me down the now empty isle. I stumble on our way off the plane, and the man at the door catches me from falling.

"Idiot." Naru murmurs. He hands me my bag, and I put the strap over my shoulder in a sleepy haze. He turns and kneels to the ground. Normally, I'd blush about Naru the Narcissist offering me a piggy-back ride, but I'm too sleepy to really comprehend the blush that should develop on my face.

I wrap my arms around his waist and (for want of a better word) hug his back. Naru blows hair out through his nose with a smirk on his face. He stands and holds me all the way through check out and baggage pick up. Thank God I only brought one bag.

**"Master Oliver."** The deep voice of a man says in English, **"Welcome back. Is that Miss Mai?"**

**"I'm afraid Mai is not a fan of jet lag."** Naru says, a tilt to his voice. That's not British.

**"I see."** Say the man with the deep voice,** "Shall I take the bags?"**

"Yes." Naru says.

Out of reflex, I groan and lightly tap him on the shoulder as my sleepy version of a hit, "Say thank you, Naru."

He looks at me out of the corner of his eyes, and speaks to me in Japanese this time, "Go back to sleep, Mai."

"Alright." I murmur, falling asleep with my head on his shoulder.

**—**

When I resurface from unconsciousness, I'm in a car. We're moving down a highway, and Naru is reading a book next to me. He looks up when I yawn and sit up. Naru raises one perfectly arched eyebrow, "You might want to go back to sleep, Mai. If my mother sees that you're awake when we arrive, she'll want to have an early breakfast and talk about nonsense."

"You shouldn't talk about your mother like she's an idiot, Naru." I mumble, my voice thick and my eyesight blurry. I could feel my eyelids growing heavier as I sit, with my head bobbing up and down.

"Mai," his voice is softer, "Go back to sleep."

"I can't. The seats too bumpy and I'm cold." It's after I say it that I realize that I'm freezing. I rub my hands together and shiver.

He sighs, "Come here, idiot." I move closer to him as he shrugs off his jacket. He places it over my shoulders, and then grabs my hand and pulls me on to his lap. Once again, I'm too sleepy to realize the position we're in. I lay my head on his chest, and he rests his chin on top of my head. Naru weaves his arms around my waist and is back to reading his book in no time.

I drift away.

* * *

My eyes flutter open when a large and very warm hand rests on my arm. I look to see Naru sitting on the edge of my bed, "Naru?"

"Breakfast will be done in a few minutes." He says, "You should get up and get dressed. Wear whatever you want, I don't plan on going anywhere today."

"Where are we?" I yawn, sitting up.

"My parents' house." He says, standing up and making his way to the door, "When you're ready, just go straight down the hall to your left, and you'll find the sitting room. You should be able to find the kitchen from there."

"Thanks, Naru." He doesn't say anything else as he closes the door behind him.

It isn't long before I'm done, and then I'm making my way down the hallway. I always thought that Naru would live in a huge house with high ceilings and large hallways. However, it's just a western style home with normal hallways and about ten doors all together down the hallways. The living room, or as Naru called it 'the sitting room,' was really easy to find, and the kitchen came after that.

Naru was the first to see me when I walked in. He was sitting at a square table (that could probably hold maybe six people) with his back to me, with a tea cup. He turns when I enter and I smile at him. As normal, he's dressed in black, however, black slacks and a thin black t-shirt are new.

"You must be Mai!" A woman's voice says in Japanese. I look up to see a shockingly beautiful woman with sky blue eyes and dark wavy brown hair. She was about my height with a gorgeous figure and jealousy-worthy skin. Next to her is a man with black hair and dark brown eyes. If I didn't know that the twins' were adopted, I wouldn't even have the thought cross my mind. One could easily think that the boys' had their fathers hair and the darkness of their fathers' eyes and the brightness of their mothers' caused them to have the dark blue eyes.

"Um, hello." I say, awkward at first.

_'They won't bite.'_ Gene chuckles. I mentally roll my eyes, but then smile brightly at the two.

**"I'm Mai Taniyama,"** I say in perfect English (my classes are really paying off). I bow to them, **"Please take care of me while I'm here."**

**"My God,"** Naru's mother says in English this time. I look in time to get squashed in a tight hug, **"You're so pretty! And so polite! Where has Oliver been hiding you all this time?"**

I laugh and hug her back. She's so warm. I pull away and grin at her, **"In that God forsaken kitchen, torturing me to make tea."**

Both her and Naru's father laugh. Next to me, Naru rolls his eyes, **"Don't encourage them, Mai."**

I look at him oddly. That's defiantly not a British accent. I bend over and meet his eyes. He raises an eyebrow, it's a silent question.

**"It's just…"** I grin, **"You have an American accent?"** He glares at me while I laugh.

**"I like you."** The blue-eyed woman says. She holds out her hand, **"I'm Luella Davis. It's nice to meet you, Miss Taniyama."** I shake her hand gently. She's a woman and I'm stronger than most. I don't want to hurt her.

**"I'm Martin."** Naru's otherwise quiet father says, holding his hand out. He had a deep baritone and was wearing a simple white and black suit. However, his jacket was undone, no tie, the first few buttons were undone, and so were his cuffs.

I'll bet you any amount of money that if he left this house though, he'd look perfect.

I shake his hand firmly,** "Please call me Mai."**

Luella grins at me, before taking my arm, **"Are you hungry? I'm sorry, we don't have any Japanese food here."**

**"Oh, it's alright, Mrs. Davis. I can—"**

**"Don't even try, Mai."** Naru says, mirth dancing in his otherwise cool eyes,** "Mother won't let you."** I pout and Naru's mouth twitches as Luella sits me down next to Naru and begins to make breakfast.

I sigh,** "I know where you get that independent attitude from."** Luella grins at me from her place by the stove, while Martin sits across from me with a book and a cup of tea. I smile, **"And there's the workaholic."** Martin looks up at me from his book and smirks at me. I throw my hands up, **"And the smirk!"**

Naru blows air through his nose, and I see him smirking at me,** "You're a better analyst than I remember."**

I roll my eyes but smile at him. A plate is put down in front of me, and I look up to see Luella smiling down at me. I grin at her, "**Thank you very much."**

**"You're welcome, dear."** She says. She sits down in the chair next to me, **"Martin as always been a anorak. He rubbed off on the boys too."**

**"A what?"** I say, confusion filling me.

**"Anorak is a British word."** Naru clears up, not looking too please with it, **"She means we're geeks."**

I laugh and clap my hands together, **"Oh that's wonderful!"**

**"Mother, please refrain from teaching this idiot new words."**

**"Hey! Don't blame me for not knowing foreign words, you narcissist idiot!"** I say, glaring at him.

Luella laughs beside me, **"Gene would have loved you, Mai."** I turn to her and smile at her, trying to chase away the sadness that was developing in her eyes.

**"Father, don't you and mother have a meeting soon?"** Naru says to his dad. I look at them, and Martin nods while standing.

Luella puts a hand on my shoulder and I turn back to her, **"I hope you enjoy being here, Mai. Please, make yourself at home, and if you need anything, just bother Oliver until he does it."**

I grin and give her a thumbs up,** "Can do, Mrs. Davis."**

**"Call me Luella."**

**"Yes ma'am."**

She smiles and leans down to kiss me on the forehead. My eyes sting as nostalgia fills me. I remember my mom doing that. Luella then leans over me and kisses Naru too, on his cheek. Then the two of them leave promptly.

I turn to Naru, "Your parents are great." He smiles.

* * *

**Madoka's Point of View:**

"Lin." I say, calling him over as I see the video call from Luella flashing across the screen. He stands from his position on our couch and moves behind me as I accept the call.

Luella appears on the screen with tear marks on her face and a bright red nose. Martin is behind her with a small smile. Luella sobs,** "Oh Madoka!"**

I laugh and Lin smirks, **"I'm guessing you noticed the way they are?"** Lin's English always has been perfect. Even when we were teenagers.

**"She's so much like Gene, yet she's not either."** Martin says, **"Noll is… well, I'm sure you know."**

I smile, **"Yes, we know. Another interesting thing is that Mai's PK allows her to have a telepathic connection with Gene, who is her spirit guide."**

Luella's eyes widen, **"What? Why is there not a report on this girl if she has PK? Not to mention a telepathic connection with my son?"**

**"There is a report."** I tell her, "**Noll must have hidden it from the two of you."**

**"Why would he—"**

**"To protect her."** Lin interrupts Martin, **"He doesn't want Mai to be experimented on. Noll thinks that Mai is too fragile for that sort of experience."**

**"But she seems so…"** Luella tries to find the right word.

I smile at my old mentor,** "Don't let that independent 'I-can-take-on-anything' attitude of hers fool you. She feels emotions stronger than normal humans would. That's has to do with her instincts. Noll described it as basic animal instincts."**

**"So she's a golden retriever?"** Luella laughs.

**"No, defiantly not."** I grin at her, **"Although, she does have puppy dog eyes that even Lin can not resist."** Lin rolls his eyes, but I see the telltale signs of his embarrassment.

**"Maybe,"** Lin growls, **"Noll is worse than I am, though."**

**"There's a difference between you and Noll, though."** I tell Lin. He seems to know what I mean because he smirks down at me. I turn back to the Davis', **"Luella, you're just going to have to get used to the way Noll is with Mai. Mai doesn't notice much, but she notices enough. Oh, and please refrain from situations where either of the two is in danger. They're protective of each other."**

**"I'm sure they'll be fine."** Luella says, tears still in her eyes. She blows us a kiss and then hangs up.

"I feel like something bad is going to happen." I tell Lin.

He sighs, "Yeah maybe." My husband looks down at me, and _that_ smile crosses his face. He bends down to kiss me and I moan in to his mouth.

"God, I love you." I tell him, and he chuckles before laying me down on the couch.

* * *

**Mai's Point of View:**

"This is so cool!" I exclaim, twirling around in a circle as I see the book shelves of books and books. They all seemed to be of the rare variety. All research and some for pleasure. I could tell the Davis' like classics, because there is Edgar Allen Poe and Shakespeare.

"After we came here, Gene and I would spend hours in here." Naru tells me, leaning against the door frame. His hands were in his pockets and he was gazing around the room with a certain look that I couldn't place, "I used to get angry that Gene would read faster than me."

"You two were really big competitors, huh?" I ask, rubbing my arms through my thin sweater. Black tights and a caramel brown loose sweater that stops just past my butt. Add black ankle socks and my pony tail and you have a 'I'm-freezing-my-ass-off' outfit.

"I suppose." He smiles over at me. Each time he does that I become more and more accustomed to it. He's just so… beautiful.

"By the way, what time did we show up here last night?" I ask, "I'm drawing a blank from the time we got on the plane until I woke up this morning."

"You really don't remember anything?" He asks, and at my head shake, he smirks, "That explains it."

"Explains what?"

"Why you aren't embarrassed."

I feel my eyebrow draw together, "What do you mean?" I'm sure I look confused too.

Naru smirks, "Think really hard, Mai. Concentrate. PK-MP comes with a certain control over ones self. If you wanted, you could probably look back at memories from when you were only an infant, but we'll just try last night for now."

He walks across the room in a few graceful steps, and is in front of me in no time. Naru grabs both of my hands, "Close your eyes and clear your mind. Listen to only my voice." I do as he says and Naru continues to speak in that calming voice of his. Soon he sounds so far away and I'm reliving my memories…

**•**

**•**

**•**

My eyes pop open and I stare at the man in front of me. My face heats up and I jerk away from him as he does that weird hiccup laugh thing of his again. He's tense and it looks like he's trying to hold back immense laughter. Three months ago, I'd never thought I'd see this expression on Naru the Narcissist, but right now I'm too embarrassed to care.

"Naru!" I whine, covering my smoldering face with both hands. I turn away from him. My eyes were stinging from frustration and embarrassment. It's bad enough I was practically clinging to him! Now he's making fun of me!

A hand rests on my head and I look up to see Naru looking down at me with a softened expression, "You're so…" His eyes brighten for a millisecond, before he smirks, "Stupid."

"Ugh!" I exclaim, pushing his hand away and stomping off, "You stupid narcissist!" As I'm going to slam the door behind me, Naru's phone rings. His cell phone never rings unless it's his parents or Lin. I freeze and turn back to him.

**"Hello?"** …** "Yes."** …** "But mother—"** … **"Yes mother."** … **"You too."** He hangs up. He looks annoyed.

"What's up?" I ask, forgetting about my anger for a moment.

Naru sighs, "Some girls from an internship are coming over to use our library for research. I'm to be attentive and considerate." He rolls his eyes, visible dislike of the girls written on his face.

"Why don't you like the two of them?" I ask, making my way towards him.

"They are both… clingy and annoying." He growls.

I giggle, "Must be related to Masako." He turns to me, surprised for a moment before a smirk stretches across his handsome face. Chimes sound around the house, making us both look up. I turn back to my boss, "I'll be in my room." He nods once, and we both leave.

* * *

I knock on the door, and three heads turn towards me. One handsome professor and two blushing teenage girls. Naru raises an eyebrow, "Mai? What are you doing here?"

Why is he speaking in Japanese? The girls both look confused, so I assume because he wants to keep our conversation quiet. I mentally shrug and continue what I originally came for.

"Do you have any books telepathic responses?" I ask.

"Come here." Naru says, turning away from the girls and browsing one of the shells. I walk towards them but stop when one of the girls (cue the sudden frustration in my blood) step in my way with a completely fake smile. I swear, Naru can force a better smile than that.

**"HELLO!"** She shouts, **"ITS NICE TO MEET YOU! I AM HANNAH!"** She puts a hand on her friends' shoulder,** "THIS IS KELSY!"**

I feel my eyebrows furrow and Naru comes next to me, "Is there a reason there shouting?"

"They don't think you know English." He says, mirth dancing in his eyes.

It clicks and I away at his shoulder, "You did that on purpose!" Both girls' jaw drops, and I remember normal people don't hit the professor. I turn to them,** "I'm sorry. I wasn't sure why you were yelling. It's nice to meet you two. I am Mai."** I hold my hand for a shake, and they both look at each other before turning their noses up at my hand and stomping back over to the book.

I raise an eyebrow, and Naru blows air out of his nose, "Yeah, they're quite snobbish."

I turn to him with a hand on my hip, "And you aren't?" He rolls his eyes and I giggle. I wave before leaving the room once again.

_'Oh, this ought to be amusing.'_ Gene chuckles.

_'What do you mean?'_

_'You'll see.'_


	9. Chapter Nine

_I need to go faster._

_My feet hit the pavement with barely any sound as I run down the enormous hallway. I could hear him stumbling down the hallway. Even if he was slow, old, and drunk, I'm not naïve enough to think he won't catch me. He always catches me._

_"Annabelle!" He slurs my name loudly, "Bring your arse here!" I feel my heart beat quicken. He sounds closer than befo—_

_"Aaah!" I shriek as he grabs my hair and yanks me back. A hard hit to my stomach makes me crumple to the ground._

_Oh no…_

* * *

I sit up quickly with a gasp and wince at the pain in my side. I lift my over sized t-shirt to see a large bruise. It's at least the side of a soft ball. Well, that explains why the dream was so real.

_'Mai, you need to go to the sitting room.'_ Gene tells me, _'They're discussing the case that pertains to your dream.'_

I throw the covers off quickly and slide my slippers on to my feet. I practically run down the hallway and to the door that leads to the living room. I stop. Naru might not tell me about the case if I'm in the room.

**"Martin, Oliver. What's this about?"** That was Luella.

**"I have a case that I think needs our immediate attention."** Martin says.

**"I've reviewed the case and I have to say I agree with father."** That was Naru that time. I roll my eyes to myself as I realize he sounds like he hadn't slept last night. He irritates me sometimes. He has no sense of self preservation.

**"Boys, I thought we agreed no cases over Christmas—"**

**"Mother, twenty-seven people have died."** Naru says in a voice that is rougher than necessary.

I silently gasp and put my hand over my mouth. _Twenty-seven?_ That's insane.

**"All of them have been women under the age of twenty. All of the women have long and curly hair that's of the lighter degree. Other than that, they all come from different back grounds and different families."** Martin explains things just like Naru.

**"Right now, a family of three is being terrorized by the spirit. The youngest daughter is sixteen. She's had her hair pulled and she's been thrown in to walls. There have been times when whatever she's holding with be knocked out of her hands. She's woken up with bruises and scratches all over her body, and much more."** I bet you any amount of money Naru had written this in that little black notebook of his.

**"Her mother is very distressed."** Martin says, **"I think we should go solve the case. Oliver, on the other hand, does not."**

**"I believe we should wait and see what is going to happen to this girl. She's the youngest to be terrorized so far."**

**"You want to use her as a test subject?!"** Luella exclaims.

Anger fills me and I throw the door open. They all look at me in shock and Naru stands quickly, **"How long have you been standing there?"** He wasn't backing up, but he'd put his notebook and pen down.

"Test subject?" I growl. His eyes widen and his mouth twists in to a frown. I walk over to him and, out of anger, jab him in the chest with my finger, "Listen to me, Oliver Davis. You are going to accept this case and help this little girl. I know you're looking for a way out of this house, and by dammit you've found one. So take the damn case!" I hadn't even realized I was shouting in Japanese until I heard Luella translating for Martin.

He stares down at me for a minute with hard and emotionless eyes. I glare back up defiantly. A nerve works in his jaw and then he turns his head away from me. Surprise fills me, he's never backed down before. He really has changed since before he came back.

I turn to Luella, **"Is this alright with you, ma'am?"** At her nod, I turn back to Naru, "I'll go pack my things." And with that, I turn on my heels and make my way out of the room with steam coming from my ears.

* * *

We arrived at the home four hours after. I was still mad at Naru for the things he said. How could he use the little girl as a test subject? He has used people as bait before, but they were always fine in the end. Does he have some ulterior motive? Was he just trying to cover up some huge secret plan of his?

I at least owe him the benefit of the doubt, right?

Doesn't make me any less angry though.

I was currently stacking the shelves that Martin and Naru had brought. He'd ignored me just as I'd ignored him. I think Martin thought it was quite awkward, so he just told me to stack the shelves while he dragged Naru back to their bus for more equipment. Luella was interviewing the clients, and I was stuck with a group of kids that's were substantially younger than me.

**"You're Mai right?"** A voice says, I turn and see that girl from yesterday. The one with the blonde hair. She's the one that yelled at me. What was her name…?

_'Hannah.'_ Gene tells me, amusement leaking in to his tone.

**"Oh, Miss Hannah."** I say, a polite smile on my face. I feel cautious around this girl for some reason. Not increasingly angry or wary—I don't think she's a bad person—but it's like she can cause a lot of harm if she wants too.

I also have the feeling that she has a crush on Naru.

**"I didn't realize you were an investigator."** She says, a tight smile that looks forced on her face, **"I thought you were just a researcher."**

I feel my eyebrows furrow, **"Why would you think that?"**

**"Well, you took a book from the Davis' library yesterday."** She says, her hands fisted on her hips, **"I figured you were a scholar or something. I mean, to be so close to _the_ Oliver Davis, you'd have to be. Right?"**

I smile at her,** "Naru and I are friends, but he also used to be my boss. I'm being trained by Madoka Koujo, so he also helps me with that."**

**"That name that you keep calling him…"**

**"Naru?"**

**"Yes, that. What does that mean?"**

**"Well, Naru is a shortened version of the Japanese word** Narushisuto. **It's means narcissist."** I grin at her,** "Naru the Narcissist."**

She giggles, although it looks like she doesn't want to. She smiles, her face softening from it's hard look from before. Wow. She's really pretty. She bites her lip, an awkward aura coming from her now, **"Look, I'm sorry I acted like an arse before."**

I smile, **"It's already forgotten."**

**"Mai, if you have time to conversant with other workers, then you should be done with those shelves, right?"** Naru is behind me. I ignore him and turn in one complete loop to the shelves and continue my job.

**"Kids,"** Luella says, walking up from my left. She has 'disapproval' all over her face. She stops in front of us as everyone listens in, but pretends to continue what they're doing. She fists her hands on her hips, **"You two need to stop ignoring each other."**

Now she sounds like Ayako.

I continue my task, and it's Naru that answers her, **"Mother, I believe father wanted you by the van."** Luella glares at the both of us, before she turns and exits out the door.

It isn't long before I've finished with the shelves and I'm sitting in the computer chair by the monitors. The dark blue book is open in my lap when I'm suddenly spun around and faced with a handsome foreign boy whose grinning at me.

**"Hello."** He says. His eyes rake over my form and disgust fills me. This man is not to be trusted.

**"Goodbye."** I retort, grabbing the edge of the desk and swiveling away from him.

**"Hey!"** He says, indignation coating his tone. He was irked now. Good.

**"Hi there."** Hannah says, standing up and walking beside me. She acts like I'm not even there, and for that, I'm grateful. Maybe Hannah isn't as bad as I first thought. She just gives really bad first impressions.

**"Hi."** The guy says bluntly, and then I hear him walking away.

Hannah scoffs, **"Rude!"** I feel myself snicker and she grins at me before going sit back down.

**"Mai,"** Naru says, suddenly appearing next to me, **"My father would like to speak with you."** Instead of answering, I close my book and go in to the families sitting room. Martin looks up when I enter and smirks when he sees Naru trailing behind me.

**"You requested to see me?"** I ask.

He nods, **"I need you to go on a walk through, Mai. I'm told you're a very talented medium, and unfortunately, the mediums that I normally have with me are on vacation."** He rolls his eyes and I grin.

**"I'd love to, but do you have someone who can come with me? I'm afraid I'm not exactly able to protect myself while I'm focusing my energies."**

It was and issue that Masako had sometimes too. A mediums energy is like a filling up a bucket with water. Once you turn on the faucet, you don't want to just let it over flow. So you watch it as it fills up. It's simple.

**"I'll go with you."** Naru says to me. His voice is softer than normal. However, even if I'm not exactly angry any more, I'm still a little irritated with him.

**"No thank you."** I say, glancing at him briefly from the corner of my eye.

**"Mai, please."** Martin says, a smile on his face.

I sigh, **"Yes sir."** I begin walking and I hear Naru walking behind me.

It's about ten minutes in to the walk when Naru grabs my wrist and my back meets the wooden wall harshly. The bruise on my side throbs painfully, but I ignore it as I look up in to fiery dark blue eyes.

"What are you—" I begin, automatically switching to Japanese in my startled state, but Naru interrupts me by the fierce glare that he sends my way.

"Listen, and listen good, Mai Taniyama." He growls, "I am your boss. Not the other way around. You are going to stop being so… exasperating with me, and you will acknowledge me. Understood?"

I raise an eyebrow, and a sudden sense of bravery fills me, "Naru, I don't know who you think you're talking to, but I am your equal. Madoka is my boss. Not you. I am not some blonde bimbo that you can boss around." I raise my hand and flick him on the tip of the nose, "So back off."

His eyes are wide and he releases me out of the cage he'd built around me. I step off of the wall and cross my arms over my chest, "Naru, what were you really thinking when you said that you wanted to watch the girl? Were you really going to use the girl or did you have an ulterior motive?"

His eyes return to normal, but he says, "Why would I—" then he stops. It's as if it's an after thought.

"I knew it." I say, a smile on my face. I roll my eyes at him, "Why didn't you just tell me, Naru? I don't have to know your ulterior motive, but you could have told me that you really didn't mean that." He doesn't answer, and it clicks again, "Your pride. You didn't want to apologize to me because you thought you hadn't done anything wrong."

He glares up at me, "I hadn't and I still haven't. Despite others impressions of me, I'm not the heartless basturd that they all think I am."

I roll my eyes, "No. I know you aren't, you idiot. But it wouldn't have killed all of your pride to come tell me that you hadn't meant it. You need to stop being so jaded about everything, Naru." I smile up at him, "Or me being mad at you is going to be a more frequent thing, and considering I seem to be the only female within a hundred mile radius that doesn't annoy you, I think that's a bad thing."

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. After a silent minute, he nods begrudgingly. I smile at him, before standing on my tip toes and rubbing my nose with his, "That's my Naru." He looks down at me and his mouth lifts as he does his hiccup-laugh thing before looking away with a smile on his face.

I pull away from him and try to ignore the pain from my side, "Let's finish." He nods, and we continue on the walk through.

* * *

**"It's freezing in here."** I bite out, standing in the basement next to Luella, who was holding the flash light for some of the stronger males from our group. Luella nods in agreement, before putting an arm around my waist and pulling me closer to her. That was her mothers instinct again. I hug her back and we share our body heat.

**"Are you guys almost done?"** I ask, my voice less shaky than before.

**"Almost."** One of the boys says, digging through some old shelves with the other three boys.

My awareness pricks. I look up and around the room. My first instinct is to protect Luella, so I pull her behind me. I stare hard in to the corner of the room. Even if the room is dark, I can still sense him. He's there. He's watching us.

**"Mai?"** Luella says, trying to move around me to see what I'm looking at.

**"Everyone,"** I say, loud enough for all of them to hear, **"You all need to get out of here."** I could make out the outline of his long, lanky figure. Why can't I see him completely?

_Something is wrong._

My heart is pounding and I can feel my breath growing increasingly erratic. I try to take deep breaths and calm myself, but it isn't working. I can't calm down. The dream from last night scares me. My panic is yelling louder than my reason.

_I don't want to get beaten!_

**''Mai?"** Luella says, worry coating her voice.

**"He's here."** I whisper,** "Get them out of here."**

Luella's quiet for a moment, before she clears her throat, **"Alright, boys. You heard her. Let's go."** She ushers them out, and as she turns to come get me, the door slams shut.

_'Keep calm, Mai.'_ Gene coos, trying to calm me,_ 'Don't take your eyes off of him.'_

I continue to stare at him. My heart is pounding and I can feel a nervous sweat dripping down my back, even though the temperature in the room is probably below zero. Why didn't I realize before? I'd rationalized that it was because we're in winter and the basement is underground.

_'Gene, why can't I see him completely?'_ I ask Gene, even my mental voice sounds worried.

_'I'm not sure. Just stay calm and wait for Noll.'_

"Mai?" Naru's voice comes from the door (why is he speaking in Japanese?). I don't look up though.

"N-Naru!" I stutter. My tongue and lips feel frozen, and my nose stings.

"We're going to get you out. Just stay calm." Naru's deep voice calms my heart slightly.

I take a few steps back until my back hits a wall, and then slowly fall down the wall. My eyes never leave the figure of the man, and I bring my knees to my chest. My arms wrap around my legs and I stare at the man.

He just stands there. He's watching me.

Why? Why is he attacking these girls?

_"Annabelle…?"_ I hear him whisper. He's suddenly standing in front of me, and I look up at him. Terror and fright cloud me, and I can't use my instincts on him.

_Don't hit me. Don't hit me. Please don't hit me._

**_BOOM!_**

The door flies across the room and hits the other wall. Naru is the first one through, and I look up to see the man gone. Naru is in front of me in no time. He touches me, before glaring, but not at me, "Damn. You're freezing." He shrugs off his jacket and drapes it around my shoulders.

"D-Did you use your po-powers?" I say, enveloping in the new warmth. I pull it tight against me, and Naru lifts me easily from the ground. My cheeks turn red, but I snuggle closer to him. His warmth fills the air around me and I fall for him just a little bit more.

"No. I didn't."

"Do you promise?"

"No. I don't."

* * *

I'm sitting on the floor by a heater. A large blanket is wrapped around me, and I'm beginning to get the feeling back in my appendages. Luella and Martin were talking in another room, while Naru stepped out for a quick second. Everyone else in the group is trying to catch my attention and is crowding in front of me. It's quite suffocating.

**"Mai!"** Hannah says, shoving pass everyone else to get to me. She falls on her knees in front of me and grabs my face, **"Are you alright?! Are you hurt?!"**

I smile at the blonde girl, **"I'm fine now. Thanks for asking."**

She grins, before looking around at all the people gathered in front of me,** "Hey, hey! Get away from the woman! Let her breathe!"** She begins to shoo them away with her waving hands, **"Get back to what you're all being paid for!"** Everyone backs up and is out the room in no time. I don't blame them. Hannah's loud.

**"Mai."** His deep voice says. I turn slightly to see Naru behind me. He crouches down next to me and hands me a steaming mug. I take a sip. _Mmmmmm._ Hot tea, with three sugars.

I grin at him, **"You remembered."** The corner of his mouth twitches.

**"Mai,"** Luella says, walking in with Martin following her,** "Dear, I'm putting you off the case."**

My mouth opens in shock, but it's Naru who answers, **"No, mother."**

She raises her eyebrows at her son, and I recognize the _'pissed off mom'_ look,** "Oliver—"**

**"Even if I agree with you, Mai won't leave. She's too bullheaded."** He crosses his arms over his chest,** "She takes after Gene. They're both idiots."**

**"Hey!"** I exclaim, **"That's not a fair comparison!"** Naru looks down at me, and I'm startled by the silent message in his eyes.

_Shut up, idiot._

He's trying to help me, because I really don't want to go and he knows that. My heart warms and a soft smile slips to my face. Since he came back, I'm constantly reminded why I love this man. It's the little things that make me love him. Even if he is an ass most of the time.

**"I told you,"** Martin says quietly. Luella looks up at her husband and curiosity consumes me. I wonder what they were talking about before? What does Martin mean by 'I told you?'

They seem to have some type of silent conversation, before Luella's shoulders slump,** "Oh, alright."** She looks at me, **"I'm just worried about you, darling. I mean, we just started this case and already you're being targeted. The activity has never been this fast acting."**

**"I understand, Luella."** I say with a small smile, **"But I just don't like being put on the back row—"**

**"Mai, what makes you think you're going to be on the front row?"** Naru's calm voice makes me stop. I look at him with confusion filling me.

_What does he mean?_

* * *

"I can't believe you're making me stay here, Naru." I say, speaking in Japanese in my annoyed state, plus, its just me and Naru. I feel more comfortable speaking wih him in Japanese than I do in English. My arms are crossed over my chest and I'm tapping my boot heel against the ground. According to the obnoxious ass that I'm in love with, I'm on base grounding. _AKA_, I'm not allowed to leave this base or Naru's sight.

He also won't let me go pee with out him standing directly out the door.

Everyone else has left to go to their respective duties, while I'm stuck in the base with a man who is currently not in my favor. I can't believe he's making me stay here! And on top of that, I have to read through a bunch of old news papers, and even Madoka doesn't make me do that.

"I really hate you right now," I grumble to the idiot sitting across the room from me with some old files.

He glances up briefly at me, "If you have enough time contemplate your feelings for me, then why not trying to be useful and reading those papers?"

"I was being useful!" I say rather loudly. I stand up and the roller chair rolls away backwards as I slam my hands down on the table in front of me in exasperation, "It's not my fault I apparently fit the criteria for this ghosts victims!"

"Mai!" His voice is harsh, and he stands up as well, "Keep your voice down."

"But_ Naru—!"_

"Mai, you just got a cast removed from your arm." He says, his voice cold. He's staring at me from across the room, but I feel as if I'm being crowded by him. Naru crosses his arms across his chest, and his shirt stretches down far enough for me to a small peak of his tattoo, "Not to mention your face is still healing. The doctor told you to _take it easy_, not to go head first in to _another_ case the minute we get to England. Why do you think I didn't want to take the damn case, you _idiot_." He's full on glaring at me now and he runs a hand through his hair.

How did I not realize he was worried about me?

My shoulders slump and my argument deflates. Unconsciously, my hand raises and I touch the budding scar on my face. It's right by my eye, under neath it on the left lower side by where my reaches a point. It was about as big as my point finger and still a little raised. Ever since he told me that it doesn't matter, I haven't really bothered with it.

"Naru—" My tone was laced with regret, but Naru didn't seem to be budging on this one.

"Just forget it," He hisses. He walks towards the door and I can't make my legs move to chase after him. They're so heavy… like led.

_Don't leave me. Please, Naru. Don't leave me again._

But my silent plea wasn't heard by the dark haired professor. He opens the door and steps the through. He turns to look at me one last time, "The base has charms set over it. Don't leave this room, Mai." He runs another hand through his hair, "You have to realize that you're only human, Mai. Just because you have these powers and all of this confidence in yourself doesn't mean you don't bleed when you fall down." And with that, he closes the door gently. However, I think I would have felt better if he'd slammed it closed.

_I'm such an idiot._


	10. Chapter Ten

**AmericanFairy, you are so sweet! I'm glad you tell me things like this. You're so inquisitive, and I find it so cool! So thanks for that.**

**Anyway, guys. Chapter ten! Woo! I didn't know I'd get this far in the story! The plot line I'd had in mind only called for eight or nine chapters, so then I kept adding more and more ideas and now I'm just writing what feels good. So you guys should tell me if you like it or not.**

**So, please leave reviews and give me your opinions, ideas, thoughts, or even a funny comment! I love reading them.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

I stare down at the book in front of me. The dark blue cover brings little comfort, and even Gene won't speak to me. I think he's angry with me.

My eyes keep scanning over the same sentence. I've been trying to read for the pass hour but I can't seem to focus. Terror, guilt, shame, and millions of other emotions keep threatening to spill over in this small thing that I call my body.

_He left…_

At that thought, the dam breaks and tears spill over my eyes. They fall down my face as I close the book and set it to the side. On instinct, I fold in to myself. My legs are tucked to my chest and I rest my forehead on my knees. The tears fall down my face and I try not to make a sound, which makes my stomach hurt. I silently pray to myself that no one walks in, I wouldn't know what to say if someone did.

"You hurt his feelings, and you're the one crying?" The soft voice of a girl says. I look up with a hiccup, and jump back.

Her face is all beaten in, with several large chunks of her meat missing. Her nose is no longer visibal, all I can see is the bone to her nose. Her hair is blonde and noticeably curly, but its dripping with blood. Her clothes cover her completely, except for mid-neck on up, with her dress being completely black.

"Uh—um…" I stutter, the tears stopped by my startle, but my face is still wet and my eyes are puffy.

"Shouldn't you be apologizing?" She asks, obviously not aware that her appearance startles people.

"W-who are y-you?" I bite out, trying to calm down and make my voice soothing for the spirit.

Instead of looking confused (as is normal), she just rolls her eyes, "I'm Annabelle. Born in April 25th, 1957. Died, but not departed, on June 7th 1962. Now answer my questions."

Annabelle? She's the girl from my dream! She's the girl the man is looking for!

_Wait, she knows she's dead?_

I open my mouth to ask her another question, but think better of it. She could leave and then I'd lose the only leverage on this case that we have.

I clear my throat, "Um, yes, I'm the one crying. It's because I feel horrible about it, but if I go apologize then anything could happen. He could be angry at me. The man—"

"You called him Naru, but everyone else calls him Oliver." She interrupts, as if it's a side comment.

I ignore her, "He can be very… cold, sometimes. He's really sweet one moment and the next he's very… aloof."

"Is aloof really the word?" She asks, her bloody face seeming to be drawn in an expression of a concerned friend.

"Probably not." I murmur. I sigh, and run a hand through my hair, before looking up at the blonde spirit, "Annabelle, can you please tell me what happened here?"

Her eyes grow wary, before her entire form slumps, and she nods. She breathes deeply before beginning, "The man is my husband…"

* * *

**Hannah's Point of View:**

Professor Davis has never been like this. He's always been the type of person to show little of emotions. Even when flirted with by other women, he always brushed them off with an indifferent face. Yet when it comes to Mai, he's a completely different person.

"What do you mean she's missing?" He hisses, anger coating every inch of his abnormally handsome face.

"Oliver, you need to calm—" Mrs. Davis starts.

"Luella, don't try to reason with him." Mr. Davis says, his voice deep and calm. Martin Davis may be a lot of things (everyone knows he used to be a delinquent in high school), but he's no pushover. Mrs. Davis closed her mouth, and didn't say another word while Mr. Davis looks at his son with a calming expression, "I'm sure Mai is fine, Oliver."

Considering it was just Mrs. Davis, Mr. Davis, Professor Davis and I, I think he lost his cool right there.

"You don't understand," he hisses at his father. The same shock I'm sure was displayed on my face was displayed on Mrs. Davis', "Mai is an_ idiot._ She's always in trouble. I should have known better." He seemed to be speaking with out thinking now and he runs a hand through his hair, making him look ridiculously sexy.

Mai, you're one lucky bitch.

"Professor," I say, walking towards him like I'm approaching a wild animal, "Mai seems like the type to run off on a whim. Is it possible she could have found some lead on the case and gone off to investigate?"

To me, Mai seems like that type. She seems over caring of others, too nice, and way too bubbly. But she's a good person. I felt bad about acting like a bitch towards her just because I knew Kelsey would find it funny.

It didn't help my guilt that she's genuinely a really nice person. Not to mention she's obnoxiously pretty and she doesn't even seem to notice it!

"I told her not to leave the base—" he starts to say, before his eyes narrow at no one in particular, "That idiot."

"Oliver?" Mrs. Davis says as the professor starts clicking odd buttons on the monitor key boards. The dark haired woman lays a hand on her sons shoulder, "We already checked the monitors—"

"Look." Professor Davis says. He rewinds the tape and we watch as the two of them seems to argue and then the professor leaves. Mai stands for a moment and then she leaves as well.

"I don't understand." I say quietly, watching as the scene replays over and over again.

"Look at the time." He says, pointing to the screen. We watch the scene over again, and I see the time skip an entire thirty minutes.

"Why would Mai erase the time?" Mrs. Davis asks.

"Just in case some one went over the footage." He says, his voice calmer than before, "She didn't want any one to follow her, but knowing Mai, she didn't count on me checking over."

"You know her patterns?" I ask, "I thought you weren't present for most of her training?"

The room seems to grow cooler and I know what this is. I've been told by most people that you can always tell when Professor Davis is furious by the temperature of the room. I'm going to guess that right now, he's a little more than annoyed by my question.

I begin to apologize, but he answers me, "I wasn't, but Mai is still Mai. Whether she's ten times more intelligent or not." He looks at me then and I'm shocked by the utter fondness in his eyes. It's not love, but it's defiantly a lot more pleasant than I've ever seen him bestow upon any one— much less a female. He raises an eyebrow, "She's still an idiot."

I feel myself grinning goofily at him. Wow. He's probably not as bad as everyone says.

"So, wait, Oliver," Mrs. Davis says, "Mai left of her own free will?" At his nod, Mrs. Davis runs an agitated hand through her hair, "Is there any way to find her? Or recover the footage?"

"Recovering the footage is simple." The blue eyed man says to his mother, "From what Lin tells me, Mai never got the idea that when you delete something, there is still a trash bin." He turns to the computer, and it isn't long before he's turning up the volume for us to hear.

The entire time we're watching, we don't see the girl, but we can hear her. And we can hear what Mai and Annabelle are talking about. By the time they get to the end of their conversation about the professor, Mr. and Mrs. Davis are glaring at their son, who is ignoring them.

"The man is my husband…" Annabelle says and we all turn our attention back to the monitors.

"Your husband?" Mai sounds and looks shocked. Her eyes are still red from crying, but she seemed genuinely interested in what the spirit of Annabelle has to say.

"Yes. I was eleven when I married him." Annabelle says.

"Eleven? How old are you now?"

"Fifteen." Annabelle sounds annoyed for being interrupted. Mai doesn't interrupt again as the girl continues, "At first, he was really sweet. Even if he was thirty-eight years older than me, he was still the kindest man I'd ever met. He swept me off my feet and loved me like no other. But then, he found out that I was infertile, and he turned to alcohol to ease the disappointment. That's how he became violent. He'd beat on me very often, but when he'd sober up he would pick me up off the ground and tend to my wounds gently. He always seemed to regret what he did, so I forgave him. Every time I forgave him. However, the beatings began to get worse until one day he was chasing me down the hall. He yanked my hair backwards and I crashed in to a wall.

"The next thing I know, I'm waking up, and then turning to see my own dead body. I know he's here, but I can't find him. I want to tell him that I forgive him."

Mai stands up, an outraged look on her face, "But he abused you and then murdered you, Annabelle! How could you—"

"If that man, Naru, were to strike you in the face out of anger, would you forever leave him?" Annabelle's voice is soft, but it has an anxious edge to it.

Mai quiets. Her face is contemplating and we all wait for her reply. Professor leans forward slightly, a frown on his face. Suddenly, Mai deflates, "No. I defiantly wouldn't, even if it is stupid…"

"Exactly." Annabelle says, "So please, please help me. I want to contact my love."

Mai sighs, and runs a hand through her long brown hair, "Alright. But give me a second. I need to do something." She turns and walks towards the camera, then the screen goes black.

We're all quiet for a moment, before Mrs. Davis speaks up, "I don't think this needs to be said, but Oliver, if I ever find out that you lay a hand on that girl…" The threat isn't said, but we all know what's implied.

Professor Davis is silent for a moment, then he stands straight, walking towards the door, "Knowing what we do, Mai will probably try to contact the spirit of the deceased man."

"But I thought only mediums could do that," I say, "Didn't Annabelle contact Mai because they have similar wave lengths?"

The professor turns to me, "There is many things that Mai Taniyama can do. Some things she's aware of, others she isn't. Mai is a perfect medium, just like my brother was. She doesn't realize this, because at the time, Madoka had Mai under a suggestion that a spirit that speaks French was over taking her body."

"And she spoke French?" Mr. Davis says, looking interested.

The professor nods, "Fluently. No trace of her accent or even a switch to her voice. Perfect mediums, however, do have a glitch in their powers. To a ghost, it's like looking at a light in a never ending dark room, and Mai's is the brightest of them all."

"So Mai is in trouble?" Mrs. Davis asks.

The professor smirks, and I find myself giddy that such a handsome man is in front of me, "Mai's always in trouble. Like I said, she's an idiot."

* * *

The Davis family seemed used to searching for people, because the three of them immediately fell in to some type of routine that seemed to come as naturally as breathing. Immediately, they split up. Mrs. Davis took several people and went to the local grave yard, Mr. Davis took a group of people and went search the town, while the professor grabbed me and Kelsy and we went search the patch of woods behind the house.

"This girl is so stupid." Kelsy says, twirling a red curl around her finger. Annoyance irks at me. Kelsy doesn't have any room to talk. For Gods' sake, she doesn't have a grade higher than a C.

Professor Davis ignores her and keeps walking. I roll my eyes at the girl, before cupping my hands over my mouth, "MAI!"

"Does she do anything besides be a burden?" Kelsy asks, sounding like a stereotypical cheerleader. What's ironic about that is that she actually was a cheerleader (I was too, but that's beside the point), so it's just that much funnier.

Professor Davis continues to ignore her as she continues to trash talk Mai. Eventually, I get annoyed and open my mouth, but then a laugh cuts me off. Professor Davis and I start running at the same moment.

When we arrive, it's at an odd looking creak. Mai is kneeling beside the creek, with her hands grasping something tightly. She's whispering to herself,

**_"Quatuor turres invocabo A turre custodum usque ad invocare quattuor maiores invocabo_**

**_Invocabo maiores_**

**_Magiae tracto gladius_**

**_Dimitte me vocare ad se Nathaniel intuitus animi Raziel ha"_**

I have no idea what she was saying, but it sounded so elegant and beautiful. I'd never heard a language like that. Her voice seemed to grow light and airy, and it made me swoon for some odd reason. I wanted to curl up on the ground and sleep.

I watch as the air around Mai seems to glow a golden color and a man appears behind her. He's tall and lanky, with large glasses and a balding head. He stands behind Mai with an air of superiority, but with some type of gentleness. I watch as a beautiful blonde girl appears in front of Mai. Her hair is curly and she has bright blue eyes. She looks older than she actually is though (she did say she was only fifteen).

"Annabelle?" The man (Nathaniel) says, his dark eyes staring at the blonde beauty.

"My love," Annabelle says with a smile, "It's alright. Come with me. Let's go rest together."

"How can I—" Nathaniel chokes on his words.

"Trust me." Annabelle says, a smile on her face. She looks to dandy and fragile, but strong and so sure of herself at the same time. It suddenly clicks why Annabelle thought to contact Mai. Not just because Mai is a medium, but because Mai is most like her.

When did I become so 'Pro Mai'?

Nathaniel walks forward and takes Annabelle's hand. He reaches down and kisses her (gag. He's like fifty!), and the two of them glow bright before disappearing.

We're all silent for a moment, and I don't think Mai notices us until Professor Davis speaks up, "You just couldn't help yourself, could you?" Mai's head jerks up and her eyes water. The professor walks forward, shrugging off his jacket as he does. Mai hiccups as the professor places the jacket over her shoulders.

He sighs and I watch as his large hand reaches up and wipes away the stray tear on Mai's cheek. My heart thumps in my chest and I smile at the two.

I can't believe it.

* * *

**Mai's Point of View:**

After a lecture from both Martin and Luella, I was able to go to my room. Naru was quiet through out both lectures, and was still quiet as he walked me to my room. In a daze, I walk down the hallway with Naru following me. I don't even close my door as I walk in to my room and plop down on the bed. He follows me in, closing the door behind us.

I don't look up, but I can hear him. Naru moves like a cat, but I can still hear the soft pitter patter of his feet on the hard wood floors. He walks to the other side of the bed, and sits gently on the bed. Even if it's gently, the bed still dips harshly, and I wobble a bit before gaining my balance.

We sit in silence for what seems like eternity. The only sound I can hear is the clock that's hanging on the wall by the door.

_Tick._

_Tock._

_Tick._

_Tock._

_Tick._

_Tock._

_Tick._

_Tock._

_Tick._

_Tock._

_Tick._

_Tock._

_Tick._

_Tock._

_Tick._

_To—_

"Mai." His voice is quiet, yet loud in room. It interrupts my line of focus. My breathing returns to what it was, and it's then I realize that I was matching my breathing to the ticking of the clock.

"Ye-es?" Dammit. My voice cracked.

"You know I'm _furious_ at you, right?" His voice is still quiet, but I could hear the undertone at the stressed word. It's like a fire being held in a fire place. You could hear the flames, see them, even feel them, but they aren't going to break loose.

"Yes." The word, spoken from me, is barely a whisper. I'm not even sure if he heard it, but he must have, because the bed creeks as he turns towards my back, which is facing him.

"However, it's not for the reason that you think." His voice is softer this time, "Mai. I'm not angry at you for earlier. I'm angry at you for going off on your own, after you'd been locked in a room by the spirit."

"I'm sorry, Naru." I sob, unable to the hold the emotion in, "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." I begin to hiccup as I sob, and I hear Naru sigh behind me.

"I swear, it's like every word I say goes in one ear and out the other." He's behind me then, smoothly pulling me in to the center of the bed. And it's then I realize it.

_Oh. My. God._

_I'm going to die._

His chest is so wide and warm against my back. His nose is buried in my hair and the warm air from his breathing is blowing the wavy tendrils around. His arms are wrapped around my waist and I'm seated awkwardly on top of his folded legs. Naru seems to be completely at ease and graceful in this position though.

Good God, is it possible for one man to smell like angels and sin all at the same time? Because that's what Naru smelt like. Whatever he had on has a light and airy scent to it, yet a sexy edge that just screams danger.

Since when did Axe make_ 'Naru the Narcissist'_?

"Calm down." He says, his voice a low rumble in my ear, "You'll have a panic attack."

"I can't calm down with you this close." I whisper, my eyes closed and my breathing erratic. My tears may have stopped but my heart beat is going a million miles an hour.

"Yes you can." He says, not deterred by my comment, "Concentrate on the pulsing of my PK. If you reach out with your powers, I know you can feel it."

I reach out with the invisible hand that is my basic instincts. In the darkness behind my lids, I see a silver ribbon. It's just waving in the air gently, as if saying a warm hello. I reach forward and grasp it, yet instead of me pulling it, it pulls me. Then I feel it. The enormous power house that is currently placed behind me.

I gasp aloud and Naru lets out something that's considered a chuckle. It didn't have any sound, but I could feel his chest and shoulders shake.

"How…" I trail off. Is it alright for me to ask how he can control that much power?

"Lots of concentration." He says, then his narcissism seems to shine through, because then he states, "It's nothing for someone with my IQ."

Mentally, I roll my eyes but get back to my original task. I match my breathing with the steady pounding of his PK. It's like someone banging on a loud drum every few seconds with a large drum stick.

My own PK shies away for a moment, but Naru seems to notice this. His PK seems to beckon me with a gentle but firm hand, and the 'inner me' sashays forward easily. Naru's PK wraps around me like a warm blanket, and soon, my heart beat is back to normal.

"Wow…" I whisper, not expecting him to hear me.

"It's just as I expected." Naru says, that 'I-told-you-so' note to his voice.

My eyes pop open and I maneuver myself so that I'm looking up at his face, "What's just a you expected?"

"Your powers." He suddenly smiles, and my heart beat is erratic again, "It's like taming a small puppy."

Outrage fills me and I push him away, "You ass!"

* * *

Sunlight peaks through the blinds of the window, and I reach for my phone, which was currently going off.

"Mai!" Luella screams in to the phone excitedly when I answer, "Come on sweet pea! Don't tell me you're asleep still?! Wake up! You promised to come shopping with me before all the shops close! Only two days till Christmas, dear!"

A deep groan to my left makes me laugh, but I answer the overly spastic woman anyway, "I'm getting up now. Give me ten minutes and I'll be down."

"Hurry!" Then the line goes dead.

I laugh to myself quietly, while running a hand through my bed head, "Your mother will never cease to amaze me. How can one person be so up beat, so early in the morning?"

"I wonder the same thing." The dark haired professor says next to me. He rolls off of his stomach and on to his back. He yawns and rubs his eyes before sitting up. The blanket falls and I see his perfectly sculpted chest with the black tattoo stretched across. He looks down at me, and smiles, leaning forward and rubbing his nose against my briefly in the single moment of 'Happy Naru' before throwing the covers off and grabbing his pants and t-shirt from by my bag. He leaves with out another word.

I smile to myself as I remember what took place only a week ago for this arrangement to be possible.

* * *

"Oliver, have you seen— oh my God!"

_My consciousness tugs at me. I need to wake up. Something's going on and someone will misunderstand if I don't wake up… but I'm so warm._

"I— he— she—" _Thats Luella. Why does she sound so shocked?_

"Mother, calm down." _Naru's deep voice sounds so far away,_ "You'll wake her up."

"You two are sleeping in the same bed?! Please tell me you're using protection?!"

That comment made my eyes snap open, and I jolt up in bed with the blanket clutched to me. Luella is standing by the edge of the bed, with a shocked, slightly happy, yet slightly angry aura around her. Naru is standing up by the other side with no shirt on, yet I don't blush for that. I've seen him with out a shirt on and I dealt with the embarrassment and (oddly) descriptive fantasies.

_Oh, the woe of being a virgin._

I turn scarlet because I can here Gene's loud laugh (he always shows up when I don't need him to), and because I know that after I calmed down from being angry, that Naru and I fell asleep. We didn't talk, or argue, or even really cuddle or anything. We just sat in the silence and I eventually fell asleep. I expected him to leave, but I guess he didn't.

"It's not what you think!" I squeak, trying as hard as I possibly can not to start hyperventilating.

Naru sighs, seeming to take over the explanation, "Mother, we just fell asleep. Nothing happened." He grows quiet then, "And… there wasn't any of… THEM."

Gene's amusement drops all together and a serious aura comes from our connection. My anxiousness notches up to 'what-the-fuck' on my scale of freaking-outness.

Luella looks completely and utterly appalled by what he just said. She does a double take at me, "How could you possibly…?"

"Um, what's going on?" I ask, my anxiousness sounding through my words, even to my own ears.

"Mother, I'm going to ask you not to tell anyone about this until we figure it out, and don't make a big deal out of it." Naru says, his voice calm while he watches his mother with the same look he gives notes on a case.

Luella swallows, before nodding. She seems close to tears, but she smiles at us tightly before walking out.

"Naru, what just—"

"Shhh." He says, sitting back on the bed, "I'll explain, just don't yell." At my silent nod, he begins, "When Gene and I were kids, we were bullied a lot in the orphanage. Because Gene always gave them the reaction they wanted, they played with him for a while, but then the other children got bored. They turned on me. When they saw I wasn't like my brother, they began to eat me up daily." I watch as this man tells me this with such a detached and emotionless face, that it's literally breaking my heart to watch him.

"Eventually, it went from simple scratches and bruises to broken bones and gashes. The beating got worse and worse and I developed nightmares. I've always dealt with them. Medicine doesn't help and neither does therapy. The only person who could ever stop them was Gene, and that's only if he woke me up with our mental connection." His eyes grow warmer suddenly, and he reaches up with his right hand, "But I didn't have one last night. Not with you."

"Why?" I somehow find my voice, and it's much stronger than I thought it was gonna be.

"I don't know." He tells me, "A hypothesis of mine is from our PK alignment last night, your instincts forced your PK in to my brain and pushed the nightmares back. I'll have to run a few tests to be sure, but I'm nearly positive."

We're both quiet for a moment, before a question pops in my head and I blurt it out with out thinking first, "So you've dealt with this since you were a kid?" My hand snaps to my mouth and I jump away, "I'm sorry! You don't have to answer that!"

"Yes. I have. That was the first good nights sleep that I've had in a long time." Naru runs a hand through his bed head (which I admit is completely sexy).

I bite my lip as the idea pops in to my head. Is it really a good idea? I mean, I don't know if I have the courage to ask. It would help him, and I'm normally really cold at night, so his natural body heat would help me. It's a win win situation.

"What is it?" Naru asks, giving me a bored stare.

"Huh?" I ask, trying to mask the inner turmoil at the moment with a confused look.

"Oh please," he rolls his eyes, "How many times have I told you you're like an open book? What is it that you want to ask?"

I feel my entire body heat up from embarrassment this time, and although I'm sure I already know the answer, I try to get the question out anyway, "Well… um, you see. I have this issue at night where I get way too cold, no matter how many blankets I use… And since you have some type of natural furnace thing going on— and I have some type of control over your nightmares, I figured it would be easier if we just— um— you know…" I trail off, and my head droops, "Never mind."

His hiccup-laugh will never cease to amaze me, "Yes, Mai. I think it's a good experiment." I look up and meet shockingly soft blue eyes, shining with an that emotion that I can't place. I grin at him.

* * *

The first few times with us sleeping together was awkward, of course. Well, I think I was the only one who thought it was awkward. Naru just kind of rolled his eyes at me all the time and slid in to the right side of the bed. Eventually, I got over whatever was making me such an idiot, and got used to it.

Both Naru's mother and father got used to it as well. Well, either that, or they just stopped caring. Martin and Luella never make any comments about us sleeping together any more.

I've noticed while Naru is sleeping better, he's in a better mood. Around me anyway. If the two of us are in the same room, he'll find a way to come talk to me, or find a way to tease me in some way. I don't understand why he does it, but I can't exactly say that I hate it. It's actually quite flattering that he'll just stop a conversation with some one just to come annoy the hell out of me.

I guess we kind of have a twisted friendship. Oh well.

Gene hasn't said much since Naru and I have been sleeping together. Just the occasional jab about me being a cover hog or about Naru's habit of sleeping on his stomach.

"Mai?!" Luella's voice bounces from the living room as I walk down the stairs. When she sees me, she grins and runs forward to grab my hand, before tugging me towards the door, "Come on! We have to be there before everyone else!"

On the way out, I check the time on my phone and blanch at the white numbers across the screen.

_3:30am?!_


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Okay guys, this chapter may be a little choppy, because I was working through a some-what writers block, but I still got the chapter out! So excuse me for the I-don't-understand-what-the-hell-is-going-on-ness in this chapter. I admit, it's not my best work, but I still got in a few fluffy moments with Naru and Mai. I hope you understand what I did try to get across though!**

**Once again! Love your reviews! Keep them coming!**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

"Remind me to never cross your mother." I say in to my cell phone as I hand the cashier my credit card.

"Why's that?" He sounds distracted, but I know he's listening to me. Naru always listens to what I have to say, no matter how irrelevant it is to what he's doing. I think it's because we've gotten closer since he's been sleeping in the same bed as me.

On more than one occasion, I find myself turned sideways on the bed, using the ark of his back as a pillow, with all the covers on me. Naru would have both of our pillows, with his arms crossed underneath them, and he'd be on his stomach.

It's kind of an odd position, but so comfortable.

"Because I just watched her beat up a sixteen year old for a pair designer jeans." I giggle, grabbing my bags, receipt, and card from the young man behind the counter. I smile gratefully as he holds open the door.

Naru does his adorable hiccup/laugh thing, "When Gene and I were younger, she'd force us to go shopping with her. By the time we were thirteen, mother had taught us how to take down the security guards."

I laugh, "That's horrible!"

"It was useful." Naru says, "I apparently always got on everyone's bad side in high school, and lots of people tried to fight me."

"Tried?" I ask, very curious as I walk down the halls of the shopping mall. This place is huge, no wonder Luella wanted to get here early. We waited for the stores to open at four, and we've been roaming the shops since then. I lost track of Luella after she ran off in to a children's store. We both agreed before hand that if we got lost, we'd meet up at the car.

"I'd avoid the fight if I could. Talking my way out of things is what got me out of plenty suspensions." By the tone of his voice, it sounded like a sour memory.

So, I go to my first distraction technique, "_'Naru the Bad Boy?'_ Hmmmm. I don't know if I believe that or not." I can feel the goofy grin on my face.

Naru hiccups/laughs adorably, "Well, I wouldn't say that, exactly."

"I don't know, Naru. Tattoo, black clothing, menacing glare, and to top it off, you were almost suspended from school. That's pretty_ 'bad-boyish.'_"

"_'Bad-boyish?'_ Your way of naming things will never cease to amuse me, Mai."

"I'm glad I can amuse you, Professor Davis."

We're both quiet for a moment as I browse through another store. I begin to wonder if he's hung up, and I begin to pull the phone away from my ear to check, but the deep chime of his voice makes me return the small electronics device.

"Mai?"

"Yes?"

"Are you still at the mall?"

"Yes."

"Alright. I'll be there in ten minutes." And the line goes dead.

I look down at the expensive smart phone and roll my eyes. He's such an ass.

* * *

I'm handing the cashier my credit card when a hand lands on my shoulder. I jump and spin around to see Naru standing there with a raised eyebrow, "My mother is cleaning out your bank account, isn't she?"

I blush crimson, "I'm not broke, you jerk."

A throat clearing catches my attention, and I turn back to the cashier with a smile. I grab my receipt and credit card from her. I reach down for my other bags, but my hand grabs nothing. I look behind me to see Naru's hands now filled with all of my different color bags. I grin at him and grab the bag from on the top of the counter, and lead the way out of the clothing store.

"So is there any special reason you're here, or are you just feeling the beginning of cabin fever?" I ask as Naru walks next to me. Lots of people turn and look, but I don't think he notices. Well, he probably notices, but the handsome idiot is so used to it, that he just ignores all of them.

"I was bored." He says, rolling his eyes, "My mother refuses to let me accept any more cases, and I wholly blame you." He narrows his eyes accusingly at me.

I scoff, "What did I do?"

"What didn't you do?" He murmurs, grabbing my arm with his free hand and pulling me in to a souvenir store, "I need your help."

"With what?" I ask, ignoring the little butterflies that begin in my stomach from Naru the Narcissist asking _me_ for help. He gives me a 'what-do-you-think' look, and I grin, "Who first? John?"

He seems to think for a moment, and then nods, "Yes, John." And that was how I learned that Naru likes to shop.

* * *

"Don't you have a budget or something?!" I exclaim, watching as all of the people Naru called move all of his bags inside. I turn to him in a huff, "You spent nearly three grand today, Naru!"

"And I plan to spend more tomorrow." He drawls, his arms crossed over his chest as he listens to me scold him, "Mai, I don't think you realize how much money I make."

I feel myself burn with a blush as I hiss out, "I don't want to know how much money you make."

His entire frame relaxes and he suddenly smiles at me, "I know that, but trust me, I can afford it." He reaches up and pushes my bangs behind my ear, "Now go upstairs and take a shower. I need to talk to you later on."

I grin up at him, "Alright. Don't run your mother ragged." He laughs adorably at me, and nods before leaning down slowly, and deliberately brushing his lips against my forehead. I smile, ignoring the butterflies in my stomach. I've gotten over being surprised at sweet gestures that Naru makes. I don't see him do these things to any one else and it makes me giddy that he doesn't.

I've also noticed that Naru is more inclined to touch me rather than another one else. Another words, if we both were squashed in an elevator, he'd move closer to me rather than be touched by others. I know about Naru's personal space issues and reservations, so that makes me feel special to him.

**—**

"Are you trying to catch a cold, idiot?" Naru's deep voice pulls me from the dark blue book that was currently in my lap. I look up at him as he makes his way across the room. He grabs my strewn towel from off of the chair, "Your hair is still dripping wet." He grabs the book from me gently, placing it on the side. He begins to dry my hair with the towel.

"What is it that you wanted to talk about?"

He pulls the towel off of my head and grabs my chin in his hand, "I want you to listen to me, and don't speak until I'm finished, understood?" At my nod, he sighs, releasing my chin, "My mother seems to think that reconnecting with her family is a must every year. So she scheduled the entire dinner yesterday, for tomorrow. So I need to know if you'll be attending or not."

"If I'll be—?" My mind is running a million miles per hour. Wait. A dinner?! With the rest of Naru's family?! I barely got through meeting his immediate family! Much less distant—

"Mai, breath." Naru says, brushing his thumb against my cheek. I look up in his eyes with my own wide gaze. He moves slightly closer, "I promise, it's nothing big. So quit it with the look."

"What look?" My voice is barely above a whisper, and even I can hear the inner panic in it.

"The look that makes me want to lock you up and hide you from the world." Naru was gazing at me with a calm and collected expression, but there it was. That look that he's been giving me lately. I can never place it, but I know that this is _my_ Naru. My sweet, sarcastic, genius, idiot Naru.

It makes my racing heart calm in the fraction of a second. Yet, my heart begins to race all over again and a blush settles over my cheeks as I realize what he said. I reach blindly for my pillow, and when I find it, I slam it over my face. To which Naru does his silent chuckle thing,

"You don't have to answer me today, idiot. Just think about it. We have until tomorrow afternoon." Then, I feel him get up, and hear him moving around the room for a few minutes, before the bed dips. And it's then that I know, Naru's right there with me.

* * *

"Hey, Naru?" I ask, looking up at the ceiling from my position. The two of us are in that weird position again, the one where he sleeps on his stomach and I'm using his back as a pillow. It was nearly nine-thirty, and neither of us had gotten up yet.

This was new. Naru wasn't one to linger in bed. Normally, he'd wake up to his alarm at seven and get up silently. Yet, he was here when my alarm went off at eight. He wasn't watching me (or anything creepy like that); Naru was still sleeping. He seemed comfortable, so I let him sleep while I laid there. Eventually he woke up. And I know he woke up because the rise and fall of his back grew.

"Yes?" Comes his sleep-filled voice, and I blush. No matter how long Naru and I have been sleeping in the same bed, I will never ever get used to the utter sexiness of his voice first thing in the morning.

I wonder if all guys are like this, or if it's just a Naru thing?

"What kind of party is it?" My voice was light, but it had taken on an anxious air to it, matching my heart perfectly.

He shifts, and I have to lean up so he can roll over, but lay back down again as Naru stares down at me (Note-to-Self: ignore the embarrassment!). He brushes my bangs away from my face with his hand, "I think it's appropriately marked a Christmas party, idiot." His eyebrow raises.

"Hey!" I say in outrage, sitting up and back handing his shoulder playfully.

"Well, ask a stupid question, and I'll give a stupid answer." He smirks at me and I roll my eyes, annoyance flashing through me. Naru grows quiet for a few moments, and he begins to play with my hair. Immediately, my entire body melts and I feel a small smile slide on to my face as the memorable moment fills me with warmth.

I've really got to figure out how to tell him I love him. I need to have some way to get it through his thick skull that it's him I love, not his brother.

I stare up at his blue eyes, which are so calm and content as he watches my hair twirl and straighten to his will. Even the most untamable parts of my body are conquer by him. It's unsettling, yet I'm perfectly okay with being mastered by this man.

"Mai?" His voice draws me from my musings, and my eyes swing to meet his, which are roaming over my face with a questioning look, "What is it?"

I smile sheepishly up at him, and immediately go to my first tactic, "So the party, is it casual?"

Naru raises an eyebrow, but doesn't question me on the sudden subject change, "Yes. You may wear what ever you want, but I'd suggest dressing warm. My mother mentioned something about fireworks at the end of the dinner party."

"Fireworks?" I ask excitedly, a goofy grin coming to my face.

Naru silently chuckles, "Yes. Fireworks."

I grin at him, "I'll go, but only for the fireworks."

He smiles, "You idiot."

* * *

"Mai?" Naru calls from the door way. I look up from my book to find him making his way over to me. He takes the books from my hands and sets it aside, "Get dressed and be down stairs in fifteen minutes." And with that, he leaves.

What's with him and the abruptness lately? Is he intentionally trying to piss me off?

_'No, that just means he's grown very comfortable with you.'_ Gene's voice makes me gasp.

Of course he'd be listening in.

_'Get out of my head, stu~pid.'_ I say, exaggerating the 'stupid' to make him smile.

I sense his grin, _'Then stop making it so interesting.'_

I mentally roll my eyes, but close off our conversation none the less. I'm finished getting dressed in five minutes, but considering I spent another five minutes talking to Gene, it wasn't that impressive. I'm putting on my jacket at the fifteen minute mark, which is when Naru walks out of his fathers study and right to me.

"I figured you'd think that I wouldn't make it on time." I tell him, buttoning up my warm black jacket. That was another thing I hated about winter. The cooler air meant thicker and darker clothing. Which means I buy anything that's cheap and dark in color, but most of the time, all the darker colors are taken. So I end up with all the black clothing.

Another words, I look like I'm the crypt keeper's daughter.

"I knew you'd make it on time. That's one of the things that you've changed about yourself over the years." Naru's deep voice makes me look at him, and I see the professor is, as always, clad in black.

_Or maybe his wife…_ My subconscious whispers without my say so.

My face heats involuntarily, and Naru looks at me strangely. I quickly push the thought in to the back of my head, and try to cover up for my embarrassment, "Like you would know, Naru! I've just matured is all it is!"

Naru smirks, "Mai, I'm convinced you will always be immature. No matter how business-like you like to act."

My face heats up read again, "You jerk!" I throw the door open, and step out in to the frosty December air. I can sense Naru's smirk a he closes the door behind us, and he's soon walking on side of me.

Soundlessly, he leads me to the garage on the side of the Davis household, and hits a button on some type of remote that is connected to his key ring, which he pulled from his pocket. Three sleek muscle cars appear before me. One dark blue, one black, and one red.

"Pick one." Naru's voice rings strong in the silence. I look up at him, and he nods, as if confirming that it's okay. I turn back to the cars and watch all three of them for a moment. I look down at our clothes and then back up. Well, if we're going black, might as well keep to the color scheme. Naru suddenly sighs as I turn to tell him my decision, "Your thoughts are written on your face, you know." He begins to make his way to the black muscle car.

I stare at his back, a sense of sadness filling me, "If only that we're true, Naru." I glance down at my boots as anger fills me, "But nooooo, you're an idiot." I roll my eyes to myself, giggling as I skip behind him.

The car is very comfortable. The leather seats are soft, and Naru shifts the gears smoothly as we roll down the high way. I still haven't asked where we are going, but then again, I don't care enough to. I trust Naru with everything I have, so I know he won't bring me anywhere suspicious.

The silence, however, is annoying.

"Is this your parents' car?" I ask, looking over at the dark haired man.

"No, this is mine." Naru says, glancing over at me briefly, "Gene picked it out. He said that this car matched my personality."

I look around the interior. Cool leathers seats that had a certain softness to it, with clear glass and perfect plastic. I suddenly get why Gene chose this vehicle for Naru, because the outside is what everyone sees, but the inside is so much better, but you have to really pay attention.

"Gene knew you better than anyone, huh?" I murmur, rubbing my hand on the leather. A sense of nostalgia fills me as I think about the man that has basically become my best friend (not like either of us really had a choice. He is my spirit guide), and suddenly, I wish it was Gene sitting here by Naru and not me. Naru misses Gene way more than I do.

I'd never even met him in person.

"He did." Naru says, glancing over at me again, "But you know me pretty well too, Mai."

My face turns scarlet and all of my depression is replaced with embarrassment, "R-really?"

Naru smiles, "Yes you do. The only other person who's been in this car is Gene."

My jaw drops. Oh my God.

_I _am_ special._

**—**

"Lately, it seems all of my days end with you scolding me, Mai." Naru mumbles as he moves in to the kitchen, which is wear a bunch of servers and cooks are running about. Luella grins at us and begins to make her way over.

But I don't really care at the moment.

"You can not spend that much money, Naru!" I shriek, my face a shade of red that I'm nearly positive isn't on the color spectrum, "Especially not on me!"

Naru rolls his eyes, which are staring down at me, "Mai, it was _one_ outfit, with a pair of shoes. It's not that serious."

I glare, "Naru, you spent an amount that is equivalent to five hundred American dollars!"

"Wow," Luella says in Japanese (which is what Naru and I were arguing in), coming to stand next to us, "Oliver, I thought I told you to buy her whatever she wanted."

"She didn't want anything." Naru tells his mother, not taking his eyes off of me.

"Then why so little money?" Luella places her hands on her hips.

"So little, she says." I mumble. I run a hand through my hair as a nervous habit that I've picked up from the one and only Narcissist.

"Mai doesn't like to spend money." Naru tells his mother, still staring down at me, "One moment please, mother." Luella shakes her head and smiles at me. Naru grabs my arm and hauls me up the stares and to my room. In one easy step, he tosses me on the bed.

"Naru, what are you—?" I shriek, embarrassment filling me.

"Shut up." Naru growls, "You listen to me Mai. Here's what you're going to do, you're going to accept the clothes, and you're going to wear them to the dinner party tonight. My mother will use you as her play thing for the night, and after, if you still want, I'll bring the clothes back."

I open my mouth to argue, but think better of it, and with a sigh, I nod, "Yes, Naru."

He looks pleased momentarily, then walks over to sit down next to me. In a slow move, he lays and puts his head in my lap. On some type of new instinct, my hand immediately goes to his hair, and I start playing in it.

"What do you have against large amounts of money, anyway?" Naru's eyes are closed, and he's relaxed. He doesn't seem to mind that my hand is so far buried in his hair, that I'm sure I'll find Narnia soon.

"Before my mom died, we weren't the richest, but we got along. Mom used to work dead end jobs, with as much pay as she could get." My hand stops as I lose myself in my memories, "We didn't always have enough food, but I remember, no matter how little food we ever had, Mom would take half of her own, and bring it to my fathers shrine." I smile at the memories, "That was always my favorite time of the day. She was always her happiest when talking to my father. Even if it was from beyond the grave."

"Your mother sounds like a hard worker." Naru says, his voice quiet. I look down at him, and it's then that I notice that he spoke as if she was still alive. But he knows my parents are both dead. I smile at him, it must be his way of making me feel better.

"She was." I say, my hand continuing to find it's way through Naru's insanely thick hair.

"We need to get up and get dressed." Naru murmurs, "Mother will be angry if we aren't ready in time." His eyes open and he looks up at me; suddenly, he smiles, "But another five minutes wouldn't hurt." His eyes close again as my giggle echoes around the room.

* * *

**"Your hair is positively evil."** Luella whines as she continues to try to tame my beast. My hair is straight for the most part (if you don't count how the ends curl towards my face and the fact that the underneath of my hair waves once in a while), but it's always getting knotted. Luella has brushed it six times already.

**"I'm aware."** I say, sitting on the chair in my shorts and tank top as Luella attempts to do my hair and make up. I bite my lip as my scalp throbs again from the consistent yanking of the brush.

A knock on the door makes both of us look up, and Martin's head pokes through, **"Luella, Oliver is looking for you."** Luella sighs, glancing back down at me, as if contemplating what to do. That's when Martin steps in side the room and takes the brush from Luella, giving her a soft push towards the door. Luella smiles at him from over her shoulder before making her way out, closing the door softly behind her. Martin turns to me, and holds up the brush, **"May I?"**

I smile, **"You can try."**

Martin grabs my hair in one hand and begins to brush it from the bottom, **"You know, Mai, I've haven't seen Oliver like this in a long time."**

I look at the dark haired man through the mirror, **"I'm not sure I know what you mean."**

Martin adopts a small smile on his face, **"Oliver has always been in his own world. Luella calls it his bubble,"** he rolls his dark eyes.

**"Naru does live in a bubble,"** I agree,** "But it's not an ordinary bubble. Naru is easy to understand once you get pass the sarcastic remarks and the narcissistism."**

Martin chuckles, **"Be that as it may, he changed when Gene died."** Martin smile fades,** "Oliver became the definition of a recluse, and then one day, he was barging in to my office stating that he wanted to go to Japan. At first, he said it was for learning purposes, but then he called about a year later and in formed us that Gene's body was found at the bottom of a lake. I don't think I need to explain to you what type of state he was in, do I?"**

I shake my head, **"No sir."** My voice is barely above a whisper.

Martin drops my hair, and begins to run the brush through it again,** "After, he moved back to England. At first, he was in horrible shape, and then Madoka video called one day to show us some paper work. The so called 'paper work' were your SATs and ACTs."**

My jaw drops, **"She showed you?"**

Martin give a dry chuckle,** "I'd required it. As much as I know about you now, that didn't change the fact that at the time, you were a sixteen year old girl with no work experience, no back ground of ghost hunting, and no recommendations."** Martin sighs, **"I barely allowed Oliver to hire you."**

As much as I think I should be outraged, I'm not. Because I know that if I were in Martin's place, I'd do the same thing. I nod,** "I understand."**

He smiles at me, then continues with his story,** "With a thirty on the ACT, and a twenty-hundred on the SAT, Luella and I both agreed that Madoka should continue your training. Oliver so happened to walk in at that time, and the first words out of his mouth were, _'Where's Mai?'_"** My face turns red, and Martin smiles at me,** "Imagine my surprise as well. Madoka didn't seem so surprised though. She informed him that you were well, and would be graduating high school soon. Oliver seemed to smile and then he said, _'So the idiot _can_ think.'_ Luella was in an outrage, but I found it quite amusing.**

**"Oliver had always had this belief that if you aren't as smart as him, then you are an idiot. So when Madoka told him your test scores, he smiled. Luella was staring at him in wonder by then, but I pretty much knew at that point that you are a special person to him. Then Oliver said, _'Expect a parcel at the office soon, and don't open it, Madoka.'_ Then he walked out and went in to his study.**

**"Slowly after that, his mood began to change. His mother was able to hold conversations with him again, and he started to take days off, rather than work for thirteen hours everyday. I was thrilled as a boss, I wouldn't have to explain that to the labor laws. However, as a father, I was beyond ecstatic. And then, a while later, he was informing us that he was moving back to Japan. This time, he was renting an apartment. By then, we'd sent Lin to help Madoka with your training, although at the time, we weren't informed of your PK. Luella cried, but at the same time she was happy.**

**"The next thing I know, my son is walking back in the door with a small little brown haired girl in his arms. It wasn't until then that I realized you are more than just a special person to him."** Martin chuckles at my reddening face, **"And then Luella thought you two were having sex—"**

_"Lalalalala~"_ I exclaim, putting my fingers in my ears.

Martin's loud laugh booms around the room and I grin up at him. He calms down and places the brush on the table next to me as I spin around and look up at him. He pats me on my head, **"The entire point of my rambling, is to say that you are welcomed here at any time, no matter the terms you and Oliver are on. I hope you don't mind that I think of you as my third adopted child."** He smiles down at me,** "In the short time I've known you, I think you are one of the best people that have ever walked in to my boys' life. I hope you plan to stick around for a while."**

His admission is a revelation. Martin adores both of his sons. He may be an aloof person, but I get the feeling that Martin is more sensitive than Luella on most things. While Luella takes on things head first and plows through it, Martin thinks it over and considers every little detail. I don't feel ashamed to say that I have a celebrity crush on this man.

I smile softly, a blush filling my cheeks as my eyes sting. He's everything I ever hoped my own father was, **"Thank you, Martin. And don't worry. Those two nincompoops aren't getting rid of me any time soon."**

He chuckles, **"Good."**

The door opens and Luella steps through with a smile,** "What did I miss?"**

**"Nothing."** The two of us chime together. Luella simply glares at us and I giggle while Martin smile at his wife. Oh, I really do love Naru's parents.

* * *

Naru knocks harshly on my door for the fifth time, "Mai. You've got fifteen minutes. Hurry."

"You said that fifteen minutes ago." My voice sounds strangled as I stare at my reflection. I'm not used to this. My eyes have always been my best feature, but Luella made everything my best feature with these globs of make up. My hair is long and curly, falling delicately on the shoulders of the dusty pink blouse. The black skinny jeans are tucked into the black boots. The entire outfit was bought by Naru. All designer and all seriously expensive.

_Why, oh why, did I agree to this dinner?_

"Mai. If you don't come out right now, I'm breaking the door."

Eyeliner, mascara, powder, and lip gloss is all Luella put on before she declared me done. Martin had some how brushed my locks to perfection, so Luella thought it was a good idea to take two hours to curl it all.

"Mai!" He bangs again.

_'He really will break that door, you know.'_ Gene says gently to me, _'Just open the door, and go with Noll. He'll take care of everything. I promise nothing bad will happen.'_

I swing the door open as Naru raises his hand to beat again. He opens his mouth to say something, but stops when he seems my panicked expression. He looks me over, and then he yanks me in to his embrace, "Calm down. You look like you're about to have a panic attack."

"That's because I am." I grumble, burying my face in to his black button up shirt.

He sighs, rubbing my back, "Stop being an idiot. You'll be fine." Coming from Naru, it's so much more comforting than hearing it from Gene.

_'Hey!'_ Gene exclaims, hearing my thoughts. I shut down our link.

I nod, pulling away from the scientist, only to see his tie. I grin up at him and he rolls his eyes. He grabs my hand and yanks me along with unnecessary force, but I don't mind, because I think it's funny. I clear my throat, "Um, Naru?"

He's quiet for a moment, but answers me when I tug on his arm, "What, Mai?"

"I didn't think that pink was your color."

Cue giggle overload from me, and death glare from Naru.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Anyway, I'm not sure how to feel about this chapter. I don't think it's horrible, but I think I put just a little too much fluff with Naru and Mai. I think I should tone down the fluff a little. However, some of you might think so, and some of you might not, so you will all have to tell me what you think. I hope you will.**

**But as Ferb O. Oche said, 'NaruMai Fluff Chapter: Fluffiness ahead.'**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

The door bell rings and Luella stands up from the couch with a giddy laugh, **"They're here!"** She practically sprints out of the room.

Martin, Luella, Naru and I had all been sitting in living room (or as they call it, the sitting room) while waiting for the caterers that they had hired to finish up the table and the room for the dinner party. Naru was reading a book while I say next to him with a book of my own. Luella and Martin had been engaged in a conversation of their own.

**"It's only six."** I say, curiosity and confusion leaking in to my tone,** "I thought the party began at six-thirty."**

**"It does."** Naru and Martin say at the same time,** "That would be her parents."** I raise an eyebrow at their freaky word play, but then look up as the doors swing back open with a happy looking Luella and two people. Two males, to be exact.

**"Dads,"** Luella says, looking at the two men,** "This is Mai. Oliver's friend."**

They both smile at me, but it's the man with the brown eyes that speaks first, **"Hello, Mai. My name is Kerry, and this is my partner Elliot."**

It takes me only a split second to realize what he means by 'partner' and a goofy grin breaks out on my face. I close my book and place it on Naru's lap (who ignores it completely), before standing up quickly and holding out my hand, "**It's very nice to meet you!"** Kerry shakes my hand (he has a strong grip) and then Elliot (such a light grip).

**"Mai, refrain from shaking their hands off."** Naru's sarcastic voice says from the table.

I ignore him, though,** "Are you two in the parapsychology business as well?"**

Kerry and Elliot both smile in return for my own, however, it's Kerry that answers me,** "No. I'm afraid we both retired a few years ago."** They move towards the couch and I take my seat again. Naru glances up from the book he was reading through and nods at both his grandparents. I roll my eyes at him and grin at the couple in front of me.

Luella grins, **"You're taking this so well, Mai."**

I laugh, **"Well, my mother always said that only the honest are different."** I cross my left leg over my right, and grin at the older people in front of me, **"Plus, I like different."** All the men smile at me while Luella giggles.

**"Mai, you're 'different' yourself."** Naru's voice comes from my left and I look to see him looking up at me with that look again, but with amusement mixed in to it.

I laugh,** "I know and I'm okay with that."** Everyone is silent for a moment, before I break it again, **"Anyway, Luella do you have any brothers or sisters?"** Luella grins, and the atmosphere becomes light as we talk about trivial things. However, I felt Naru's leg move in the mist of our talking. Everywhere that our legs touch grows hot, and I can feel his energy pulsing through that simple touch.

_Satisfied._ My instincts never fail to help me.

What's he satisfied about? I look over at him to see his eyes still trained on the book in his hand, but I see the small smile. I grin, and lean back in to the couch.

It doesn't matter. If he's happy, I'm happy.

—

I watch as all of the people conversant. Luella is flirting from person to person, while Martin sits on the couches with some other people. Naru is talking to a group of people the same age as him. There's not a lot of people here, but enough to make me nervous all over again.

Naru's eyes swing my way, and they meet my own. He smirks, then makes a beckoning motion with his hand. The entire group of people turn and looks at me as I walk towards them.

"**This is Mai Taniyama. She's a psychology major, a parapsychology major, an English major, and she's also majoring in Criminal Justice."** Naru says, all in one breath. He tosses them all a dazzling (and completely fake) smile, **"She's also my preferred secretary."**

**"Miss _Tanyuma,_ it's very nice to meet you. I'm Chloe."** A small girl with large brown eyes and brown hair says with a innocent smile. She looks familiar.

Not to be trusted. My unconscious mind whispers at me, in correspondence with my instincts.

I pull a smile, **"My name is actually pronounce _tan-E-ya-ma_. But you can just call me Mai. It's very nice to meet you, ma'am."** I hold out a hand. She shakes it with the same smile.

I toss Naru a look, and although his facial expression doesn't change, I can see the mirth in his eyes. He knows what kind of girl Chloe is. He knew my alarms would go off. Why would he call me over—

Realization sets in, and I glare at him. It's then he smirks.

He's using me as his own personal reverse cock-block.

* * *

Chloe follows me around all evening. The entire time the party is going on, I feel like she's analyzing every move I make. However, I also notice that she's too close to Naru. I don't mean in a jealousy way (even though I am completely jealous), she's able to touch him.

Chloe brushes up against his arm, and he smiles down at her. Even if I know the smiles are fake, she thinks they're real. Her touching to him is familiar… why would they be so familiar.

It's after dinner that I realize why. She's grinning at him flirtatiously while we're all having tea. She gives him a sultry look, and my instincts scream at me. Somehow, and someway, during the time that Naru and I weren't around each other, these two must have been in an intimate relationship.

The thought makes my stomach heave, and I duck awake when no ones looking. It isn't long after I crash through my room door that I'm running to the bathroom to empty my stomach in to the toilet. The very thought of _anyone _having sex with _my _Naru makes me vomit… literally.

_'Oh, Mai…'_ Gene whispers to me, his voice full of sorrow, _'You don't know for sure that they did that.'_

_'Explain it all to me, then.'_ I say, my voice sounding weak in my own head, _'Explain why she can touch him, and why she's allowed in his personal space! My instincts are never wrong, Gene!'_ Then tears flow down my eyes.

Why do I always end up crying over him? Naru is just one guy! I shouldn't care this much that he had sex with her!

I get a flashback of my mothers kind voice,_ "There are plenty of reasons why I loved your father, and him being handsome wasn't one of them. Your father was a kind, instinctual person. He went by what his gut told him, and most of the time he was right. He cared for me in his own special way. I hope that when you find the right man, Mai, that you'll recognize his efforts for what they are. I want you to see pass the surface of your love, and I want you to grow to love the person that they are, and judge them on their personality. I want you to love people for who they are, Mai."_

I wipe my nose on the back of my hand, and the door opens. Dark blue eyes grow darker when he sees me sitting on the floor by the toilet. I probably look gross. A snotty nose, running mascara, and I probably have dried vomit on my mouth. However, Naru kneels in front of me, "What's wrong?"

The way his hand brushes against my forehead to check for a temperature and the way his eyes are gazing at me so gently make me realize that he would never look at anyone else like this. He's so worried about me, because I'm HIS Mai. Whether he knows it or not, this idiot scientist has me for life.

"Upset stomach." I lie smoothly with a shake of my head, "I think I don't agree with something on the menu."

He sighs, "Get in the shower, idiot. I'll go get some clothes for you."

"What about the party?" I ask, "And Chloe?" I can't help the distaste in my voice when I say her name.

He turns and raises an eyebrow, "What about her?" He suddenly smirks, "Do you want her phone number or something? I didn't know you swung that way, Mai."

My jaw drops, and I giggle, "No way! Naru is actually acting his age! Someone call the mental hospital."

He laughs adorably, "Get in the shower, idiot." With that he leaves.

_'Okay, I officially hate him.'_ Gene murmurs.

_'Why?'_ I ask curiously.

_'Because he didn't need to apologize for upsetting you or anything! You got over it all on your own!'_ Gene groans. I grin to my self and shake my head. I stand and strip quickly, before getting in to the shower.

* * *

I'm awoken by the sound of fireworks. I open my eyes to see a figure being dressed in the reds, yellows, and blues. I sit up and push the covers off. He turns, and before I know it he's next to me, "What's wrong with you?" I look up at him as confusion fills me. Is he talking about me throwing up?

"I told you—"

"And you lied." Naru's voice is rough, but not necessarily harsh. I think he's just annoyed because he figures I didn't tell him the truth. He sits on the edge of the bed, "If I have to find out that you're upset from my dead twin, then we obviously lack communication skills."

_Is this really Naru?_

I've gotten used to the sweet gestures every once in a while. I've gotten used to him smiling and laughing. I've even gotten used to sleeping in the same bed as him. However, never once have we had this type of conversation. I think my face turns a nice shade of red.

"I'm going to kill him…" I mutter, hiding my burning face in my hands, "It's really nothing, Naru."

"If it was really nothing, it wouldn't have made you sick, Mai. When something bothers you that much, I want you to tell me. No matter how embarrassed it makes you feel." I peek through my fingers to see intense blue eyes staring at me. My hands fall away as the utter handsomeness of this man stuns me once again.

That look settles over his face again and his expression softens. He leans forward slowly, his eyes never leaving my. The coolness of his lips press softly against the tip of my nose, then his hands reach up and cup my cheek. He gently tilts my head away from him, and places a soft kiss right under neath my ear. My eyes close involuntarily as a sigh escapes me.

"Did you have sex with her?" The words are whispered and barely spoken. I didn't even want them to escape my mouth, but I knew he really wasn't going to give me a choice.

He's quiet, before saying in a gentle voice, "Yes. When I was nineteen."

My head turns down as I stare at the floor, "She was your first."

"No." Naru tells me, his voice quiet, but rough again, "She wasn't."

My eyes sting and I want to throw up again. Why is this effecting me so much? Yes, I love him, but we aren't dating. I shouldn't care who he has sex with.

"Chloe was just a stress reliever, and she looks exactly how I want her to look." He mutters to me. I can feel his eyes burning a hole in to the side of my face, "Please don't get angry."

"I'm not an-gry." My voice cracks, and my eyes water, "I'm just upset, Naru."

"I know." He says, "I can feel it. Everywhere I touch you is drumming with heat." He grasps my elbow, trying to pull me closer again, but u continue to back up. Eventually, I'm laying on the bed and Naru is on top of me. A hand is on either side of my head, and he leans down so his lips are even with my ear. His warm chest is adding pressure to my own as everything in me tightens. Naru kisses me just below the ear again, "Just forget about, Mai. All if it meant nothing."

How could he ask me to just forget about this? I didn't expect Naru to be a virgin, but it makes me wonder just how many girls have seen him naked and are able to touch him. How many girls are just like me? Am I really as special as I think?

"Mai." His voice is low and dangerous, "Stop thinking."

"I can't help it," My voice sounds loud in the quiet room. The booming of the fireworks is still going off. The room lights up in a variety of colors.

"I know." Naru says. He moves so he's lying next to me. His arm stretches across my stomach, and he kisses my hair while pulling me against him. He weaves his arms around my waist, "You're the only person I've ever slept in the same bed with."

The admission is astonishing, and I can't help myself from saying, "What about Gene?"

"Gene and I never really shared beds." Naru tells me, looking out the window at the fireworks. He looks down at me, and smiles, "Gene hogged the covers."

I laugh and he looks relieved. His chin touches the top of my head, and I fold myself in to him. Even if I'll be embarrassed about this entire thing tomorrow, I don't want to ruin it right now. I look out the window and watch the fireworks, until my eyes close on their own, and I'm asleep.

* * *

**"Are you sure this is okay, Mai?"** Luella asks me, walking on the other side of me as we make our way to the banquet hall of the building. Naru and I had agree to stay an extra week in England for New Years, and Luella was ecstatic. However, it seemed the ball was required because of her job, and since I was technically part of the company, it was required for me since I was in England.

**"She'll be fine, mother."** Naru grumbles from my other side, looking as handsome as I've ever seen him in his expensive suit. The dark blue tie makes his eyes look that much deeper, and I'm nearly positive that the ass knows he looks good.

I glare at him, **"I think I can speak for myself."** Naru and I aren't on good terms right now.

While I was reading in my room earlier that day, he'd walked in and took the book from me. While I was demanding my book back, he threw a shoe box at me, and a dress, and told me to get dressed. However, the idiot didn't think to take the price tags off.

"I can't believe I'm even wearing this!" I hiss at him, "Who pays three grand for a dress, and then a whole other grand for a pair of sparkly shoes?!"

"The party is formal, you idiot." Naru hisses back at me, his eyes flicking to his mother. The woman is pretending to ignore our argument, but both Naru and I know that she's secretly listening.

"Naru, I can get a dress that looks exactly like this for twenty bucks! And the shoes I could get for ten!" I hiss back, "What's the point of spending money on stupid things?!"

"Because it's for you." He murmurs in my ear. On cue, I turn scarlet and I stop walking to look at him in wonder. Luella continues walking, but I can see her shoulders shaking from silent laughter. He turns to me, "When are you going to get that money isn't an object with you, Mai? All you need to do is ask, and anything you want is yours."

"Naru, why would you…" I trail off. My eyes are watering and my voice is stuck in my throat. Sometimes, Naru just surrenders me speechless. Ever since he returned from England, he's been a completely different man. At first it was showing emotion here and there, and now it's full blown sweetness coming from his mouth every time we're alone. I'd thought that I was getting used to it, but I don't think it'll ever fail to astonish me that Naru would show this side of himself to me.

The girl he thinks is trying to substitute him for his dead twin brother.

"Because you're Mai." He says simply, as if he was saying that the sky is blue. His eyes flicker up and down my body, "It's not like you look bad, anyway. So stop being an idiot and let's go." My blush runs deeper as it connects that Naru just underhandedly told me that he likes the dress on me.

I breathe in deeply, closing my eyes for a millisecond before releasing the breath and opening my eyes at the same time. Naru stands in front of me with his hand held out. I smile softly at him, before walking forward and taking his hand.

**Chloe's Point of View:**

_Where is he?_

I smile at the old skank and she grins back, **"Chloe. Don't you look lovely tonight."**

**"You too, Mrs. Davis. That dress looks wonderful on you!"** _My dog would wear it better._** "Where's Professor Davis?"**

Luella giggles at the thought of her son, **"Oh, just talking to Mai in the hallway."**

_Mai._

The sound of her name make my vision turn red and I suddenly wan to claw the eyes out of everyone in this place.

_How dare that bitch steal him from me?!_

The door opens and the professor walks in looking as gorgeous as I've ever seen him. I smile to myself as I remember that passionate night that we shared a few years back. At first I was just doing it because he was hot, but now, I want to do it over… and over… and ov—

_How is it that she's ten times more beautiful than the last time I seen her?!_

The little dark blue dress looks so soft and seems to caress her skin as the bottom moves with her walking. The bottom of the dress brushes her thighs and I envy her ability to wear something that short and not look slutty. The middle squeezes her tight to show off just how wonderful her waist line is. The sparkly black heels have thin straps to hold around her tiny ankles, and I can see the perfectly painted black toe nails from this far. Her brown hair is wavy, and it falls gently down her back as her entire face lights up with her smile. The big brown eyes on her face are already popping out because of the make up, but with her smile they seem to sparkle with a happiness that I'll never be able to explain.

_I hate her so much._

The professor looks over at the girl and smirks, but I see the tenderness that he only ever displays around her. Both the girl and I look so much alike, but how is it that he pays more attention to her than he ever did to me?!

**"Beautiful, isn't she?"** Luella says, smiling as Mai takes the professors arm and he leads her to the open bar.

**"Absolutely stunning."** I say, trying my best to smile at her,** "Where is she from again?"**

**"Japan."** Luella tells me, taking a small sip of her wine, "**Truth be told, she was an ordinary girl at first sight. However, just the way that Oliver treats her makes me adore her, but she's such a caring and gleeful person by nature, that I can't help adoring her that much more. Even if she wouldn't make Oliver happy."**

**"She makes him happy?"** I ask, my astonishment ringing true even in my ears. Luella smiles at me, and then changes the subject.

_What does she have that I don't?_

**—**

Nearly to the end of the party, I see her finally pull away from the professors side and head to the powder room. I take my chance and follow her with out much thought.

She jumps when I slam the door behind me and turns. Surprise etches itself in her face, before she smiles at me, **"Oh, hello Chloe."**

**"What do you have that I don't?"** I spat, more malice than I'd originally intended coming out in my tone.

The confusion is apparent in her face and voice, **"I'm not sure I know what—"**

**"He's happy with you!"** I shout, speaking with out thinking now, **"How could he be happy with you?! You're annoying, you're probably failing all those classes you're so proud off, and to top it off, you aren't even _that_ pretty, so I don't get what the big deal is!"** The hurt shines brightly in her eyes, but I don't really care. I hate her.

**"I think it's time for you to leave." **A deep voice says from behind me. I whirl around to see an extremely handsome and pissed off professor glaring at me.

**"But—"** I begin, only to be interrupted.

**"Now!"** He growls, practically shouting at me. I jump back on instinct and the room gets cooler.

**"Naru!"** Mai says from behind me, her voice raised, **"You're scaring her!"**

He ignores her,** "Go."** He moves out the way and I dash out the door with tears burning in my eyes.

**"Wait!"** Mai calls, and I freeze turning to look at her. She moves pass the furious professor to hand me some of the brown paper napkins from by the sink, "**Here. Your make up is running."**

I take them, wiping my eyes and then blowing my nose with a heavy heart. It suddenly all clicks. I smile a real smile up at the woman, **"Thank you."** She grins back and I continue to make my way out of the building.

_I get it now._

* * *

**Mai's Point of View**:

The shoes make a thumping noise as I toss them away. Naru follows in behind me and sheds his jacket and tie. He collapses on the bed and I giggle at his tired sigh. His grins at me, before sitting up quickly and grabbing my hand, yanking me on to the bed with him.

"I need to go take a shower, Naru." I murmur, loving the way his warmth automatically envelops my entire body. I don't know why I'm always so cold.

"In a few minutes." He says quietly, and I grin to myself, before snuggling back in to his chest.

* * *

"Mai!" Madoka yells from the other side of the airport. She takes off running with an amused Lin behind her.

"I didn't miss that." Naru grumbles from behind me as I giggle and wave to my best friend.

"I did." I grin at him, before I'm tackled and wrapped in Madoka's familiar embrace. I hug her back with a squeal of my own.

She pulls away and looks down at my clothes with surprise. Luella had forced me to go shopping with her (again) before I left, and she wouldn't let me leave the mall until I'd chosen an entire outfit for myself to bring back to Japan. Which is the reason I was now sporting black jeans, leather winter boots, a comfortable caramel brown button up shirt with a black rather jacket and a scarf the same color as my shirt.

Luella then proceeded to compliment me on my 'simple' style.

"Luella got to you, didn't she?" Madoka grins.

I laugh, "Yeah, but that's okay. I love her for it." Madoka smiles her knowing smile and she giggles.

"Welcome back." Lin tells me when I finally pull away from his wife. I dart forward and wrap my arms around his waist. He chuckles and pats me on the head like an affectionate uncle. I love Lin just as much as I love Madoka.

Naru clears his throat loudly, "We should probably get going." I unwind my arms from Lin and roll my eyes at his snippy tone. What the heck is wrong with him?

We leave the airport soon after.

**—**

My face breaks out in to a wide grin as I see everyone sitting in Naru's office on the couches. Presents that I assume are from Christmas are stacked on the table and I see plenty of food laid out on Naru's desk. As Ayako and Yasu make a b-line for me, I can feel Naru's agitation at his office being treated like a café again. I hug the two of them back quickly with a kiss on Ayako's cheek. Suddenly, I'm swept up in a huge hug and I snuggle in to Monk's comforting embrace.

He sets me down and I hug my favorite medium, before hugging the blonde-haired priest. John blushes (like he always does) but hugs me back, nonetheless.

"I missed all of you guys!" I gush, joy filling me at being around my make shift family once again, "And I've got your presents!" The next hour is filled with presents being handed out by all of us. I had to hand out Naru's presents as well. It turns out the idiot loves to shop, but has no idea how to wrap presents. So I ended up having to wrap all of the presents before we left for England.

After the small belated Christmas party, everyone began to go home. Lin and Madoka left to go upstairs before Naru and I.

"You do realize that you're still sleeping in the same bed as me, correct?" Naru's deep voice chimes from behind me as I wipe off the top of his desk. Large hands grab my hips and I stand up straight as Naru molds my body to his.

"But what about—" I stop as his lips brush the spot under neath my ear. It makes my skin crawl, but instead of being disturbing, it's oddly satisfying.

"I don't care. You're staying with me." His voice low and husky in my ear, and I can't help grinning. I turn in his arms and, in a random act of boldness, lift my arms around his neck.

I brush my nose against his, "What ever you say, professor." He glares at me, but it's gently. I know he's only kidding (that's as good as it's gonna get with Naru, and I giggle.

_Oh, how I love this man._


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Naruisawesome, this is for you! This is my kinda-sorta thank you for updating!**

**Anyway, I think you might be surprised towards the end of this chapter. I'll have another chapter up soon (hopefully) and you'll see the relationships I've laid out so far progressing even more.**

**Thank you all for the reviews. All of the words that you all write are what keep me writing and let me know that people actually enjoy my plot lines and thought process. So thanks for that.**

**Enjoy**.

* * *

**Case #4 - Isadia Mansion**

**Day One:**

"Mai, status." Naru calls from by the door as he carries in equipment with Lin, Monk, Yasu, Shuto, and John.

"Nothing yet, but Ayako and Masako left a few minutes ago for a walk through. So far they haven't found anything." I call back, only briefly glancing at the men.

"Where's Madoka?" Lin's deep voice is monotone, but I know he's worried.

"Right here." Madoka says, gliding in the room with a tray that she sets down on the table next to me. I gratefully smile and accept the tea cup from her as she passes it to me. She sits in the chair that would originally belong to Lin if he wasn't occupied right now.

"Don't leave the base." He tells her quietly as the rest of the men leave again to go grab more equipment, "We don't know exactly what is going on yet. So for the sake of my sanity, just stay in the base."

Madoka sighs, but gives in to her husband, "Yes." He smiles at her before leaving back out the room. Madoka tosses me a playful eye-roll and I giggle at their lovers debate.

I turn back to the monitors and sip my tea quietly as I remember the state in which the client came in to the office.

* * *

On any other day, I'm nearly positive she'd be a very pretty woman, but the bags under her eyes and the horrible state of her make up make it hard to tell. I've seen a lot of distressed people, but this woman makes me cringe.

"Hello. I'm here for an appointment with Shibuya-san." She says, trying her best to smile.

"Um, name?" I ask, forcing myself to maintain an air of business.

"Nitaki Isadia."

I type in the name and watch as her file pops up. Just as I'm clicking on her name, an automated note from Naru pops up. I'd set up the system on a whim. Naru always seemed to have things he didn't put in the file that I should really know about. So I create a program that allows him to put side notes for me so I'll better handle our clients.

_Escort her yourself, Mai._

The message is clear. I hit the button under my desk that automatically locks the front doors and stand from my seat with a smile, "Isadia-san, why don't you come with me?" I hold my hand out for her and she gratefully accepts it.

I toss Shuto, who is standing by the door in his security uniform, a look, and he nods. He'll watch the lobby.

Naru looks up with an arked eyebrow as I enter. It's a silent question. His face turns in to a knowing one, however, when Isadia-san walks in behind me. Naru's eyes flicker to the make shift kitchen that he'd had installed and he stands. I easily get the message and move towards it as Lin come out of his office with his lap top.

As I'm fixing the tea, they all sit quietly and Isadia-san seems to be growing more and more anxious as she waits. After what seems like an eternity, the tea is ready and I bring it over to the three persons on the couches.

"Isadia-san, please explain what is going on in your house," Naru says, his tone of voice in what can be considered a 'polite' tone. He clicks his pen, "From the beginning please."

"We-ell," she begins, her voice cracking, "I suppose it started when my grandfather passed a few months ago. My mother never allowed us to go see him, although he visited quite a lot. She always said that his house was cursed but we didn't believe her."

"Who do you mean by 'we?'" Naru says, pausing in writing in his notebook to make eye contact with her.

"I have a younger brother." Isadia-san says, her eyes growing slightly larger, "He's quite sick, so he stayed home today. He's had a weak constitution since he was a child."

"How old is he?" It was Lin to ask this question, he didn't look up at her, however. He just continued to type on his laptop.

"He'll be twenty-two in a few months." She has a confused look on her face. She probably doesn't know why this is important.

"Sometimes," I begin, trying to explain, "A spirit may attach itself to a specific person because of gender, age, or even similar body type." Understanding lights in her eyes and she nods quietly.

"Please continue." Naru says, gruffly.

"I grew up never entering the house. And then my grandfather died, and I learned he left his mansion in my name. My mother has long since passed, and I was trying to pay for Haru's medical bills and go to school at the same time." She's nearly in tears by now, "I just thought we could live there until Haru got better and I was able to graduate high school."

"Haru is your little brother?" I say softly, offering her some tissues, which she accept gratefully.

"Yes." She says, nodding, "We moved in and he was excited. His favorite place is the garden out in the back. It seems to be the only place that this… phenomenon doesn't occur."

"By phenomenon, what do you mean?" Naru says, leaning forward slightly.

Isadia-san sniffles, "At first it was little things. Like my car keys not being where I put them. Or the flowers in a vase rearranged. Then it got slightly worse. Knocking on the walls and then the doors closing behind me. But then Haru began to notice things. His breathing machine would be turned off suddenly or his IV bag will fall off the hook. Next thing I know I'm running in to Haru's room because he screaming. His IV was being yanked out of his arm."

An unintentional gasp leaves me at the thought of that happening to such a young man. It's bad enough that his life has been hell because of his health issues, but then an unknown enemy is trying to rip out a needle. I couldn't imagine the pain.

"Eventually, it got worse. We'll hear screaming all around our home. Scratch marks would be carved in to the walls and words were written in a language that I don't know. However, I'm afraid Haru is quite the intellect, so he took the letters and words and figured out what language it was. I think he said something like Bul-har-e-an?" A confused look flits across her face.

"Bulgarian?" I say, leaning forward in my seat.

"Yes! That's it!" She exclaims, but then confusion is all over her face again, "What is this Bulgarian?"

"Bulgaria is located in Europe." Naru says, sounding annoyed.

I roll my eyes, and direct my words to Isadia-san, "Bulgaria is a culture that contains mainly Slavic heritage, along with Greek, Roman, and Celtic influences. A very old and well known place for those of us with a knowledge of geography." I toss her a smile, "But don't worry, that won't be on your exams."

She laughs while heartedly at my joke, before growing serious again and continuing with her story, "He was able to figure out the language, but he was not able to decode it, I'm afraid. Eventually, Haru began to spend more time out side, but the happens of this… whatever, are still going on. Whatever this thing is is making my and Haru's lives ten times harder and we just want it out." She looks up at Naru imploringly, "Please! Help us!" She bows to him. He watches her for a moment, before his eyes slide to mine.

_Is he asking me?_

Almost as if it's an instinct, I keep his gaze, before a small, cheesy smile climbs on to my face and he sighs. His lips twitch, and I know he wants to smile at my obviously silly face, but we're in the middle of an appointment. Naru stands and Isadia-san looks up from her bow, "Please give all of your necessary information to my secretary and I'll contact you with our arrival date."

Hope blossoms in her eyes and it shines as I take down all her information. After she leaves, it isn't long before we're closing and I go home. Daisuke is sleeping in my bed and I stumble in to the shower. Five minutes and I'm collapsing on to my bed. The overly fat cat curls up next to me and I run my hands through his long fur until Naru gets there.

"You should stop feeding that thing." Naru grumbles, walking in to my room with an air of annoyance. He climbs in to the bed and swings his arm over my waist. The lights go out and I'm dozing.

"Naru?" My words are slurred because I'm tired, but I have to get this out.

"Yes?" His voice is quiet, but I know he's dozing as well.

"Thank you for taking the case." Instead of answering, his arm just tightens around my waist… and then I'm falling in to oblivion.

* * *

"What is it?" Madoka says, breaking me out of the memory.

My face warms and I can't help myself from becoming jumpy, "Nothing! Why would you think something is wrong?"

Madoka eyes narrow and she leans forward, "I'm going to figure it out, you know. You and Noll have been acting normally, but Lin and I notice things that the rest don't. You think we don't notice that the two of you show up at the same time in the morning, and that Noll had that car of his imported, and that he gives you rides to and from school." By now I was sweating and Madoka is pretty close, "And to top it all off, I, as a _woman_, notice the way you are perfectly comfortable with how he touches you. Lin hasn't noticed, but I noticed it. When we arrived here, for instance, Noll opened the door and he physically _picked you up_ and put you down next to him. His hands were on your hips the entire time, Mai." Her glare is fierce, _"What's going on, Mai?_

"What's going on?" Shuto's deep voice says.

My heart skips a beat and relief fills me, "Nothing at all!" I laugh awkwardly, before standing and moving towards the door, "I'll be right back! Ladies room!" I dart out of the room with out a look back, but I know Madoka is glaring holes in to my back.

**—**

_Great, now I'm lost._ I think to myself, trying to find my way back to the base. Naru is going to _kill_ me.

"Who are you?" A soft voice says, I turn and my eyes widen at the soft beauty of the man before me. Creamy eyes that are bright and fluffy brown hair that seems to have natural blonde high lights in it. His skin is tan and he's surprisingly short, with a very thin frame. He's in his pajama's, but that doesn't make his soft appearance any less appalling.

"I'm Mai Taniyama," I say, walking forward and offering him my hand. I smile gently at him, "You must be Haru Isadia."

His soft pink lips curl in to an easy smile, and I get the feeling that this man has a very happy personality. He takes my hand gently, and gives it a soft shake, "It's nice to meet you, Taniyama-san."

I can't stop my mouth from smiling, "Call me Mai, Isadia-san."

"Then you have to call me Haru, Mai." His smile is like an infection, and I can't stop the giggle from leaving me. His eyes light up, "You look to be lost. Are you looking for that room that you all call your 'base?'" At my nod, he loops my arm through his, "Let me help you."

I giggle. _Such a gentleman._

When I pull open the door to the base, everyone's heads snaps to me, but Naru is the first to speak up, "Where have you—" His sentence is cut off as Haru steps behind me.

"I'm sorry." His voice is just as gentle and light as before, but it had a different ring to it. He smiles at my team, "I'm afraid I was occupying Mai's time, please don't get angry at her."

"Haru!" Isadia-san says, walking towards her little brother, "You aren't supposed to be out of your room!"

"But I'm feeling better, big sister." Haru says, a smile on his face, "Really. Just let me help."

She sighs, "Fine. But stay out of their way."

"Mai." Naru snaps, when he sees he has my attention, he glares, "Get back to work."

I toss a look in Haru's direction before scurrying over to Madoka and Lin.

* * *

"Where did you learn to make your tea, Mai?" Haru asks suddenly as I hand him another cup.

I pause for a moment, before handing Lin his cup. I toss him a hesitant smile, "No ones ever asked me that before."

His eyes widen and his eyebrow shoot up, "Really? I'm surprised. Your tea is like…" he pauses for a moment, biting his lip cutely as he thinks. He giggles cutely, "It's like love in a cup."

My eyes sting and I smile at the man. Such a curious one. I walk over to him and gently sit down on the couch next to him, "My mother taught me, but it was my father who had taught her."

**Yasu's Point of View:**

Surprise fills my entire being. I never knew that.

I watch as Mai continues to speak to Haru (the subject is different now), but I think we're all moving mechanically.

What kind of a 'family' are we? We don't even know this kind of thing about Mai.

We're all thinking the same thing, however, the only one whose frozen in the same position is the boss. He's staring down at his tea cup, which is beginning to form ice around itself. The top of the tea has a thin layer of ice floating, which means that the bossman is accidentally freezing his tea over.

I don't know if he's angry or upset or whatever, but I do know that look. It's a look that I've seen Lin give Madoka when she's upset and he doesn't know what to do.

_Hopelessness._

Almost unintentionally, my hand comes down to clasp the bosses shoulder. He looks up at me and I smile reassuringly. He looks over as Ayako gently takes the cup from him to replace it with a new one. She grins at him encouragingly, as does Monk, John, and Madoka. Masako casts him a soft look, while Lin raises an eyebrow. Shuto's face remains impassive, but I know he cheering on the boss as well.

He turns to look at Mai, who glances over at him and smiles. Sometimes, I'm taken aback by how beautiful Mai's become these pass few years. It seems, however, that she's as oblivious as always.

The bossman turns back to his paper work, but the air seems lighter some how.

I grin to myself.

* * *

**Mai's Point of View:**

The dark of night comes fast and Haru and his sister decide to go to sleep. We've set up cameras in every room, not to mention the hallways and basement. While everyone else is asleep, I'm left alone with my quiet boss.

Something is wrong. My instincts whisper. I look over to him. He's watching the monitors, but he's tense. Almost soundlessly I stand up from the chair and walk towards him. He tenses further when my hands touch his shoulders, but then relaxes slightly as my hands work in the knots on his shoulders.

We're both silent for a moment and Naru relaxes further. Eventually, I deem him perfectly find, and I loosely wrap my arms around his neck. I rest my chin on my arms, and close my eyes in a brief moment of bliss.

Until Naru speaks up.

"Thank you."

I open my eyes and giggle. I peck him on the cheek playfully, "You're welcome."

* * *

When I open my eyes the next morning, Naru is standing over me with a hot cup of tea. He smiles at me and I grin up at him. He hands me the cup as I sit up from the couch, and he goes sit back by the monitors.

The EMP meter begins to go off and my instincts come in to play full force. I look up as Naru stands. His eyes are trained on one particular screen and I see that it's Haru's room.

Haru's scream echoes through the speakers and through the halls as I watch his arm being raised by a blackened figure and his IV is ripped from his arm.

"Mai!" Naru calls. I look up at him with tears in my eyes and he grabs my arm, dragging me behind him. Soon enough we're at Haru's room. We arrive at the same time that everyone else does.

"Oh my God…" Masako says, tears of her own filling her eyes. She turns to me, as if to clarify that she isn't the only one feeling the raw ferocity of this spirit. My eyes were still watery, and I open my arms for her to hug me. She walks forward and does so.

While Masako clings to me, Ayako and Isadia-san go to Haru's aid. Naru turns to the rest of us with a forlorn expression, "Shuto, go pick up Isadia-san and bring him to the base. We'll take care of his wounds and interview him there."

**Shuto's Point of View:**

After Naru-kun's order, I quietly walk forward and reach for the smaller man. He's unconscious, but even with his face twisted in pain, I can see he's still a very beautiful guy. Even if he's older than me, he's still the cutest damn thing I've seen in a long time.

Next to Mai, of course.

Haru is a surprisingly light person. I know he's sickly, but he should still weigh a little more. I'll have to speak with Mai-chan about maybe having him eat more.

The older man rests in my arms perfectly, and I lead the way to the base with everyone else following us. After fussing over him for an hour and a half, Haru finally wakes up as I'm laying a blanket over him. He blushes adorably when he looks up at me and I can't help the smile that tugs at my lips.

_That's the cutest thing in the world._

"Haru!" Mai squeals, running forward to wrap the man in the hug. Her smiling face makes him smile, and he giggles.

_I stand corrected._

"Hello, Mai." His voice is just as soft as it was earlier today. It's little twinks like him that remind me that I'm gay. He's just so damn adorable.

That, and the fact that Mai has tried to set me up with several of her different college 'friends' but hey, I'm not complaining. Mai's the only one that knows, although I don't think she really cares enough to think about it constantly. That's what made me like Mai automatically upon meeting her, she's just such a happy person that accepts people for who they are.

_I'm sure that's one of the reason's Naru-kun likes her so much._

"Haru, you need to tell us what exactly happened." Mai says, taking his paler hands in to her much tanner ones. Haru smiles at her, before he begins to explain.

—

_How did it end up like this?_

"I'm sorry about this." Haru says, his head cast down as the other men continue to bring in Haru's medicine supplies. I just continue to stare down a him. He's squeezing his hands behind his back and he's blushing… bad. The tips of his ears are pink and so is his neck. Though, most of his shaggy hair is covering his blush.

Because of the incident, Naru thought it would be a good idea to place Haru in my room for protection against whatever is terrorizing the Isadia siblings. Naturally, I was perfectly okay with it, but Mai had something to say about it being an invasion of both of our privacies. However, being that Haru is unfamiliar with the fighting of those two (which I've decided is actually them flirting), he immediately shot down any upcoming argument by saying he was perfectly fine with it.

Eventually, they finish and Isadia-san comes shower her little brother with kisses, which he giggles good naturedly about. After a quick hug from Mai (for the both of us), we're left with our devices and I run to take a shower.

_I wonder if he's gay...?_

Fat chance.

Eventually I'm walking out of the bathroom with my basketball shorts on. Haru looks up from his book and blushes several different shades. He covers his eyes, "Shouldn't you put on some clothes?!"

I roll my eyes as a sting of annoyance hits me, but quietly walk over to my brief case and grab a t-shirt.

We're both quiet for a moment before Haru says, "How did you come in to ghost hunting?"

I look up from the basketball magazine that I was skimming through, "I'm not sure I know what you mean." It was the first time he'd heard my voice, and he blushes with an audible gulp. I raise an eyebrow unintentionally.

_Interesting._

"Like, how did you come to work at Shibuya-san's research facility?" His entire body is tense, as if he's worried I might lash out at him for asking these personal questions.

I feel my walls beginning to come down as I register just how innocent this man really is. I smile at him, "Do you like stories?"

He looks taken back by my expression, and he blushes further, but he stands and stubbornly makes his way to my bed. He sits on the end of it with one foot folded under him and one foot hanging off, "Yes."

I chuckle, but then I feel my face grow serious as I take a deep breath, and begin, "Well, once upon a time, there was a boy who was slightly different from the other his age. He didn't understand what was wrong with him until he got a crush on his senpai while in junior high…"


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**I know I cut the story right in the middle in the last chapter. I meant to because I wanted the story to still be a mystery. You all won't find out what happened to Shuto until later on, because I've got a kinda sorta plot line figured out for the rest of the story. Oh! And I hope you all don't mind steamy sceens, because I love writing them.**

**By the way, I hope you all don't hate me after this chapter.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

**Case #4 - Isadia Mansion**

* * *

**Day Two:**

I watch as Shuto makes his way across the room. Haru is sticking to him like glue and I can't help but grin.

"What are you so happy about?" Naru grumbles as he continues to drink his tea and read the stats from last night. According to Naru, the EMP meter must be wrong because of the readings. Madoka and I were skeptical, so we took a look at the percentages ourself, and I have to say that I was astonished as well. There's only one other instance that I remember having seen these stats.

When Naru was still out of control, and a spoiled brat, he'd raised his entire seventh grade class up in the air and held them there until his parents got to school and stopped him. Luella and Martin were able to convince the public school not to press charges, but he got kicked out.

One of the many stories that Naru has talked about since we started sleeping in the same bed.

"Oh, don't get snappy because you're nursing a migraine." I roll my eyes, "I told you to come to bed at a reasonable time, but _nooooooo_, your research is more important."

He glares at me through tired eyes, and quietly hisses, "Tea."

I grin at him, before standing and moving towards the kitchen that was provided for us. I can feel Naru shooting glares at the back of my head, and I can sense the amusement coming from his much more pleasant twin.

Ten minutes later, the whistle to Naru's tea kettle is going off, and I pick it up off of the stove and set it down shortly after.

_"Miss…"_ a voice says, and my head snaps up. My eyes meet dull brown ones, and I realize I'm staring at a small Japanese spirit that used to be a little boy.

The thing about mediums is that once our powers grow stronger, we're able to see how the spirits around us died. If the spirit died a peaceful death, in their sleep for instance, then they'll appear to be a normal human and those are the ones hard to differentiate from actual living people. However, if the spirit died a restless death, or were murdered, then we can see.

For instance, this little boy was stabbed to death, but before that, he must have been tied up and beaten. Red bruises rest around his wrists and large bruises cover his face and body.

"Can you help me?" He asks, his eyes still dull, but I can see the tears welling up in his eyes, "You can see me, right?"

"Yes," I say, my voice soft unintentionally, "I can see you. My name is Mai. Who are you?"

"I'm Youta." He says, sounding no older than six or seven.

"Do you know that you're dead?"

"Yes ma'am." He's says politely, "I just need you to help my friends."

"There are others?" I ask, confusion making me raise my voice from it's soothing tone for a moment, "But we can't sense them."

"He's doing something to them." Youta says, looking as troubled as a child can get, "He makes them do bad things to the boy, and he promises not to hurt me and the other kids."

"He?" I ask, leaning forward, placing my hands on my knees and bending until I'm face to face with him, "What's his name?"

**"Roger."** He says the English name in a choppy accent, however, instead of just saying the name, Youta stares behind me in fear. I urn to come face to face with him.

His skin is pale and a sickly gray. His eyes are a gross blue color, and a disgustingly disturbing smile is displayed on his face. He had to be at least thirty when he died. His uneven beard and beer belly atones to that.

_**Rin!**_

_**Pyo!**_

_**To!**_

_**Sha!**_

_**Kai!**_

_**Jin!**_

_**Retsu!**_

_**Zai!**_

_**Zen!**_

The man screams in pain and he disappears with a shriek just as the door slams open and everyone is in the kitchen. I spin back around as they all move towards me. Youta is floating there with a scared expression, "You shouldn't have done that!"

"Why?" I ask. I hear everyone behind me freeze, "He was going to hurt me. I could see it in his face."

"That was his happy face. He might have let your friends go." Youta says sadly, he looks down, "I'm sorry. It's all my fault."

"No it's not." I say firmly. I cross my arms over my chest and I have a feeling I look just like my mom at this point, "It's was not your fault and I don't want to hear otherwise."

"But—"

"No buts!" I exclaim, before reach forward and patting him on the head. Sometimes if a medium and a spirit have smile at wave lengths, we're able to touch them. Youta, for example, feels very solid to me, "Don't worry Youta. Me and my friends will help you and the rest of the kids. We'll get you all out and you will all be able to go to heaven and see your parents again."

For the first time since meeting him, he smiles. His eyes light up and I see that he was once a very happy child, "Yes, Mai!" He disappears with a giggle.

* * *

"You are to go no where by yourself," Naru states, glaring at me as Haru, Ayako, Madoka, and Monk fuss over me, "I don't care if you have to bring Isadia-san with you. If I find out you go anywhere alone, you're off the case."

_Damn. He's serious._

I have to physically force myself from rolling my eyes and I smartly keep my mouth shut. The only movement I make is to nod my head. He sighs, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "Tell us exactly what happened, from the time you walked out of this room to the time you walked back in. I don't think I should have to say this, but for your sake, I will: don't leave anything out."

Half an hour later, I've told the story multiple times and Haru is sitting next to me keeping me company as everyone else goes about some type of job that I have no idea about. Naru didn't even say anything, they just all got up and began moving.

I turn to my new friend, "So how was your first night in Shuto's room?" A blush spreads across his cheeks and he tries to hide his face with his bangs, but I still giggle, nonetheless.

_He's so cute._

* * *

"You should really stop making toys of people," Naru comments as I sit in the black leather computer chair. My feet are tucked under me and I was dozing a few moments ago, until Naru spoke up.

Madoka and Lin left about a half hour ago with Yasu to go do some research in the towns local library. Masako and John are both sitting across the room quietly. I think they're discussing Christianity. Shuto is sitting on the couch, with Haru sleeping next to him. Haru is curled up like a puppy with his head in Shuto's lap. If he would be up right now, I bet he'd be blushing pretty bad.

"What do you mean?" I say, looking over at him with a raised eyebrow.

"You've been staring at Isadia-san for the past fifteen minutes, Mai." He tosses me an emotionless smile, "Either he's your new toy, or you've suddenly developed a kink for small boys."

I gasp, "I would never!" He rolls his eyes, and then it clicks.

While I'm paying attention to Haru and Shuto (because that's what I was actually doing) Naru is getting annoyed because all of the attention isn't on him! He probably doesn't understand that I'm just happy for Shuto and Haru (even if I did just meet Haru).

"What are you grinning about?" Naru says, looking at me completely now. Bewilderment is shining on his face. His mask is on, but there's a crack in it. Lately, whenever he looks at me with that stupid mask on, there's always a crack. No one else can see it, not even Lin and Madoka, but I can.

"Naru, you do realize that Haru is a small, delicate little thing that is so cute he could pass for a girl if I were to put a dress on him, right?" I ask, leaning forward and resting my cheek on my fist, which is propped up because of my arm resting on the top of the table.

He raises an eyebrow, and makes a sound that could be considered a _'yes'._

"And you also realize that Shuto is a big, strong, _gay _man with a thing for small and cute things?"

Naru's eyes widen and his mouth drops open. I try to hold in my laughter, but a sound comes out that's a cross between a snort and a dying turtle. Naru looks over at Shuto and the sleeping Haru. Shuto looks up at us, and his eyebrows furrow as he probably gets confused at the sight before him. Naru confused and astonished, with me siting next to him red faced and dying of laughter and odd noises.

Naru's head snaps to mine, "How…?"

"I figured it out." I say, after I've catches my breath, "Naru don't you do back ground checks on all of your workers? How did you not know? It's not like he hides it."

"I prefer to allow my workers to have at least a little bit privacy. I don't read the sexual preference, religious belief, or anything dealing with their personal life." Naru grumbles, looking away from the boys now.

"Isn't that sweet of you." I roll my eyes.

Naru smirks at me, "But I did read your entire file, Mai." At my blush, he chuckles lowly, "Miss Mai Miu Taniyama."

I shriek, and throw the nearest thing at him (which so happened to be a pencil), "Shut up!" Naru chuckles as the pencil so obviously misses, but he stops the minute the door slides open and Ayako and Monk stumble in. Right away the room grows loud.

I toss Naru a look, and he chuckles again, this time soundlessly, before taking a sip of his tea to hide his smile.

* * *

**Shuto's Point of View:**

I gently pick the adorable boy up from on the couch and, with a nod to Naru-san and Mai, I carry him to our room. I gently put him down and move the blanket over him as I hear the door open. I don't look up though, because I know it's Mai. The soft _stomp stomp_ of her black combat boots are not so unnoticeable when I've been working here for roughly a month and a half. Granted, Mai wasn't present for three of the six weeks, but I still got to know some of her habits.

I straighten and jerk my head to let her know to follow me. She does, and even closes the bathroom door behind us.

"You really like him, don't you?" She says softly, perching herself on the wall of the bathtub. Mai really is adorable (in her size) but she's also beautiful (in her looks).

Ayako-san has shown me pictures of when Mai was only sixteen. She was still the same height, but her hair was short and she had this thing for skirts and sneakers even during the winter time (and it was all very colorful). Now I mostly see Mai in black clothing with either combat boots, fluffy winter boots, or black leather boots that have heels and go all the way up pass her knee.

She's such an odd girl.

But she's _so_ adorable.

"Yes, I do." I say, sitting myself on the closed toilet, "But I don't think he's gay." Mai smiles, and leans forward. The swell of her breast become apparent, and it doesn't bother me like it would a normal teenage boy.

_Yep, I'm defiantly gay._

"Everything will work itself out." Mai says, sounding older than her nineteen years, "I promise. Everything will be okay, Shuto." She reaches over and rustles up my hair lovingly. I feel myself begin to grin, but I bite my lip. Mai is so much like a mother.

I look back up at Mai, only to feel adrenaline and fear pump itself in my blood in over time, "Mai!" She looks surprised, before turning and quickly jumping away from the gray-skinned man who is standing in the tub.

I blink, and then he's in front of me. With a sweep of his hand, I'm thrown against the wall with a loud crash. My head hits the wall, and pain shoots down my spin. I feel blood begin to drop down my back, but I don't have time to worry about myself. Mai is backing away from him slowly, and she tries to mold herself to the door, as if it'll grab her and absorb her.

She tries the door knob, but of course, it's locked. And I know for a fact that Mai didn't lock the door when she closed it.

"Shuto?!" Haru's small voice comes from the other side of the door.

"Haru, go get Naru-san! Tell him Mai and I are stuck in the bathroom with him!" I shout, hoping he won't ask any questions. I don't hear him any longer, so I suppose he didn't.

_**Rin!**_

_**Pyo!**_

_**To!**_

_**Sha!**_

_**Kai!**_

_**Jin!**_

_**Retsu!**_

_**Zai!**_

_**Zen!**_

Whatever this thing is, he doesn't even flinch at Mai's attack. _Damn._ He must be the type of spirit that is immune to an attack after the first encounter. So then she begins a chant that I've only ever heard Monk speak. He pauses for a few moments before continuing his slow walk towards her. Mai tries a couple of other spells before a banging can be heard on the door.

"Mai?!" Naru-san shouts through the door. As if it's an after thought, he also says, "Shuto, are you two alright?"

"Get us out of here!" Mai says only loud enough for them to hear her. She sounded calm and even looked calm. However, I could see the panic and fear racing across her eyes. Mai is scared out of her mind.

"Step away from the door!" Monk shouts.

"That's a little hard to do right now!" Mai says loudly again.

Suddenly, the man lunges and grabs Mai. She screams, and I can't help the loud,_ "No!"_ that leaves me. He turns and smiles. A gross, sickening, smile. I blink, and they're gone.

Everyone is quiet on both sides of the door and the door unlocks. The knob is turned, and Naru-san walks in with Lin-san and Monk closely behind him. Naru-san is as pale as a ghost and he looks nauseous. I feel myself grow dizzy and it's then that I'm aware that blood has soaked the back of my t-shirt.

"Shuto?" Haru's quiet voice sounds so loud in the silent room. I look at him, only for my eyes to roll up, and I faint.

**—**

When my eyes open, Haru is sitting on the edge of my bed and he's got a bowl of water. He's rewetting the small cloth towel when he notices I've woken up.

"Shuto!" He squeaks cutely. I'm surprised when he throws himself at me. I grunt slightly because of the sudden pressure on my chest, and he jumps up with a red face, "I'm sorry! I forgot you were hurt! I was just so happy that you are up that I didn't remember—"

He squeaks when I grab his arm and jerk him in to the bed with me. He gets even redder when I throw my arm around his waist and bring him close to me.

"Are you two done?" Naru-san asks, his anger apparent in his voice. He must have walked in while Haru was freaking out over my injuries. I sigh as Haru scrambles up and excuses his self quickly, before leaving. Naru-san glowers down at me, "Tell me what happened."

After Naru-san makes me repeat the event nearly seven times (he said it was 'to make sure I hadn't left anything out' but I think he just wanted to get every fact), he let me out of the room.

_I wonder where this... thing has taken her?_

I find Haru in outside in the garden. He's humming quietly to himself while picking the petals off of a sunflower. I watch a yellow petal gently float to the ground before touching down and resting. Haru looks up when I sit down next to him on the bench. A blush dances across his face, but he just looks back down to the ground.

"Is Mai-chan gonna be okay?" Haru asks quietly, having finished with flower. Dozens of little yellow specks rest against the bright green of the grass, while the petal-less stem is still clasped in Haru's small hands.

"Yes." I say, reaching up and ruffling his hair, "Mai may be the second most adorable thing in the world, but she can also kick serious ass. She isn't going down with out a fight."

That seems to cheer him up, but then he looks up, confused, "'Second most adorable thing?' What's the first?"

I smirk down at him, "Well, he's about 5'4" with light brown hair and adorable little brown eyes that remind me of a deer. He's incredibly strong for someone who's defenseless and sickly. Not to mention he's friggin' smart."

Haru looks as if he's about to cry and rage at the same time, and I can't help the laugh that leaves me. He looks up, surprised and outraged, "What so funny?" I shake my head, before reaching for him, and pulling him in to my lap. He shrieks, and tries to say something, but I cover my mouth with his, and he shuts up.

Sweetness explodes on my lips, and I can't help the grunt that leaves me.

_More._

I push my hands under his nightshirt and pinch the little nipple that immediately stands to attention under my ministrations. He gasps, and I push my tongue in his mouth.

_Good God almighty._

Haru moans, and my body hardens at the sound of it. I maneuver him so his knees are on either side of me, and I graps his slender hips bones, before pushing him down and grinding my erection against his.

Haru pulls away from my mouth, gasping, only to let out a strangled moan, "What— What are you—"

"You're so sweet…" I whisper, unable to help myself. My tongue licks his neck on it's own.

A throat clearing catches my attention. I pull away from him to look behind me. Isadia-san stands there with a cheshire cat grin on her face. Haru shrieks, jumping up and spluttering, "B-big sister!"

"Shibuya-san says to come to the base. Yasuhara-san is on his way back with some books from the library. The minute he heard about Mai-chan, he grabbed whatever he could and is rushing back." The entire time she spoke, she had the same grin on her face. Haru is still as red as a tomato and was adorably stuttering.

I stand, and Haru looks up at me. His eyes are wide and tearful, but I see the hesitance and emotions whirling around in them. I smile down at him, and ruffle his hair with a wink, before walking in to the building.

_I hope he didn't notice the blush on my face._

* * *

**Yasu's Point of View:**

My eyes fly over the page as Lin drives sixty miles over the speed limit. The car is silent, the only thing I can hear is the motor. Madoka is obviously stressed out as she grasps her purse to her while Lin steers and shifts.

I throw the book that I'm reading on to the floor, before picking up a newspaper report titled, _"Isadia Orphanage Closed Down Due To Slaughtered Children"_

My heart begins to pound in my chest as I read the article:

_The well known orphanage of Roger Isadia, the adopted son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Isadia, has been arrested under the charges of man slaughter. While Mr. Isadia inherited the orphanage from his parents, it appears that he did not inherit their compassion. Several children were found beaten and bound in the basement of the mansion. Police also found a secret door that leads to an hidden room located under the garden. Scattered parts of the orphaned children were found. Interviews with the children confirm that Mr. Isadia is a sadist. One child stated that he only kept his 'toys' for no longer than an hour. The longest 'toy' kept would be two and a half hours._

_In other new, Roger Isadia may have been arrested, but he still found some way to commit suicide in the jail. Roger Isadia is buried on the other side of the home, far away from the garden, where his parents are buried side by side._

My eyes widen and I reach for my phone, quickly speed dialing the bosses number. He answers on the second ring, "Yasuhara—"

"I don't have time to explain!" I shout in to the phone, "Go down to the basement! There's a hidden door. Hurry! Mai-chan may or may not live much longer!" He hangs up.

Madoka jumps and turns to look at me. Her eyes are beginning to water, and I can see sweat beading on Lin's forehead. Madoka sniffles, and turns back to the front of the car. I can hear her whimper, "Please be okay Mai."


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Hey guys! So, srry it took so long t get this new chapter out. You all know I'd planned on having this story done by the time school started, but it seems my mind has other ideas, so although it may take a few more days to et out a chapter, I hope you'll bare with me and stick with the story. **

**Also, don't hate me ater this chapter.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

_Shouldn't there be pain?_

I slowly open my eyes, letting them adjust to the dark room, before assessing my injuries. I'm chained to a wall, and aside from my arms getting tired, I feel physically fine. Nothing is cut, broken, or bleeding.

_What the hell?_

My eyes wander, and I see I'm in a room made out of pure iron. Even the walls are iron. Two lit torches are on either side of me. To my left, there are cells that have iron bars for the doors. To my right is one long counter sticking out from the wall. Dozens of different tools are lying on top of the counter.

"Mai!" A small voice says from my left. I look to see Youta standing on the other side of the cage. His tiny hands grasp the bars of the cage, and he's looking at me worriedly, "Oh no! He got you!"

"It's okay." I say, smiling over at the young boy, "I'm alright."

"Of course your alright." An older girls voice says. I look in front of me to see a girl about twelve or thirteen standing there in a white night gown with a lace trim. However, that's where the normality stops. Red marks are around her wrists and ankles, and I see bruises covering her entire body. Half of her cheek is missing. It's a clean cut, so it was probably cut off. A slash across her left eye causes it to be torn in half, with blood leaking down her face. She has millions of little cuts all over her body, but all of them have something in them. It's white, but I don't know what it is. She sees me staring, and rolls her eye, "It's salt. Roger may have been hateful, but he was also crafty. The simplest things can cause the most pain."

Dread fills me, "What's your name?"

She seems reluctant to answer, but does anyhow, "Akita."

"I'm Mai." I say, smiling at her.

She scoffs, "I know. Youta likes to talk." She was acting so defensive, but I know she's scared. I can hear it in her voice; see it in the way she's trying not to tremble.

"Before, when I said I was alright, why did you say 'of course?'" I ask, trying to stand on my tip toes to lighten the pain in my arms. They were seriously beginning to ache.

"He won't hurt you while you're asleep." Akita says, looking down at her feet, "While you're asleep, you don't scream as much."

Astonishment fills me, "So he did all of this to you all while you were all awake?" Akita nods and Youta looks away from me. It seems this is all too much for the child. I could understands that. Even the toughest of people break at some point.

"He's coming!" A voice whispers from somewhere in the room. Akita and Youta's eyes both grow wide, and they disappear, but not before Akita turns to me and says, "Scream as loud as you can. No one can hear you, but it'll satisfy him longer." As panic and anxiety fill me, I try to reach out to my spirit guide. However, as I blindly search for him in my consciousness, I realize that I'm being blocked off some how.

The door makes a loud click sound, and I realize that I'll have to act my way out of this one. So instead of trying to act calm and be strong, I let the fear and anxiousness take over me.

The best actress is one who isn't really acting.

* * *

**Shuto's Point of View:**

Naru-san hangs up his phone, a panicked look on his face. He darts out of the room, and I follow closely behind him. I don't know what's going on, but I have a sneaking suspicion it has to do with Mai.

He descends all the way down to the basement. He quickly snaps, "Look for a hidden door." Then he begins to search. A shine catches my eye, and I move towards a tall book shelf. With out blinking, I pick the shelf up and throw it to the side.

At this point, Lin-san and Yasu-kun are running down the stairs to the basement. Naru-san is next to me before the two men have even touched down to the ground. Naru-san grasps the metal ring that works as a door handle, and jerks the door open.

_"AAAAHHHHHHHHHH! STOP! PLEASE!"_

"Mai!" Yasu-kun shouts, running with the rest of us as we run down the long hallway that leads to a large iron door. Before we even reach it, the door flies off it's hinges just as I'm able to see my breath.

The first sight to all of us is Mai.

She's chained to a wall. Several bruises cover her face, and I see blood dripping from her arm, where a large gash resides. She's panting, but her head snaps up and her eyes grow wide at the sight of us.

The man is there. He's standing in front of her. Suddenly, his arm draws back and he punches Mai in the ribs. Hard.

_"AHHHHHHH!"_ Her mouth opens as the scream let's loose. Her eyes squint shut as her face contorts in pain.

Everyone around me falls to the ground, all looking as if they're being held down by some unknown force. I turn to look and see ice creeping up the walls. All of us can see our breath, and I realize that this is Naru-san's 'power'. The power that allows him to shoot energy blasts. I think it's called something like 'PK'.

Mai's eyes are so wide now it looks painful, "Naru! Don't!"

Whatever it was, it looks and sounds like Mai doesn't want him to use it.

Naru-san seems to listen to her, because the air grows warmer slightly, and Lin-san is able to whistle. Monk and John (they must have come in while I was focused on Mai) begin to chant, while we all wait anxiously.

The man spins around with a snarl. He steps forward once, before screaming as Lin-sans shiki attack him. Before I know it, the man is erupting in black flames and then he's gone.

Naru-san makes his way to Mai. The chains snap from around her wrists and she falls to the ground in a heap of body parts and bruises. Naru-san falls to his knees beside her, and we all watch with an air of awe as he pulls Mai's head in to his lap. He brushes the hair from her face, and Mai smiles up at him, "You idiot. You used your powers."

Naru-san stays quiet, just keeps brushing back her hair. I can't see his face because he's looking down at Mai, but I can see Mai. She's smiling, but she's obviously in pain.

Ayako-san steps forward, "Mai, should I call an ambulance." It was a stupid question. Even she knew that, but I don't think she knew what else to say in this situation. We had never seen Naru-san be so gentle before, even to Mai. The way he moves is as if she's the most precious and fragile thing in the world to him. It's quite a sight, but it seems so… natural, in a way.

"Yes." Mai says, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, "I think my ribs are cracked." Ayako's eyes grow wide, and she pulls her phone out, running up the stairs quickly to get better reception.

"Monk, John, Yasuhara, Lin, and Madoka, go find the bones and burn them. It will stop him from ever coming back. Just for insurance." Naru-san says, his voice deep and gravely. The five of them leave reluctantly. Lin-san has to grab Madoka-chan and pull her with him.

"Naru…" Mai begins, her voice soft. Haru, who had probably gotten down here with everyone else, moves next to me, taking my hand in his own tightly. He's trembling.

"You idiot." Naru-san says quietly, "What hurts?"

Mai giggles, the sound strained but real, "A shorter list would be 'what doesn't?'" Naru-san sighs, before looking up as some men rush pass us to Mai. He allows them to pick her up, and rush her outside to the ambulance.

Haru and I walked up the stairs and meet up with everyone else as the paramedics stabilize Mai. She's still awake, and she's quietly staring at the ceiling as she's prodded and annoyed. Naru-san stands with the rest of us, watching as the normally spastic Mai is as still as a rock.

"We're going to have to transport her to the hospital. She needs critical attention." One of the paramedics says as the other one begins to strap Mai in to the holster.

"I'll be riding with her." Naru-san interjects before any one else can.

"Are you kin?" The paramedic asks, looking slightly intimidated at our bosses glaring face.

"She's an orphan." Naru-san growls, looking the angriest I've ever seen him.

_Uh oh, Paramedic-san. Never get in Naru-san's way when Mai is hurt. Bad move._

"Well then, r-right this way, s-sir." The paramedic says, ushering Naru-san behind him. Naru-san follows him with a glare as Yasu-kun and Monk-san both chuckle to themselves. Ayako-san let's out a little giggle as John-san smiles.

"What's so funny?" Haru asks, looking confused as to why everyone was so happy all of a sudden.

"They're laughing at the paramedic," I tell him.

"Why?"

"Because he was scared."

"Why was he scared?"

It was my turn to chuckle and I turn to my cutie pie, "Naru-san is very protective of Mai. He has been since I began working with them, but that protectiveness seems to have multiplied since they got back from their recent business trip."

He tilts his head to side, looking adorably bewildered at the situation, "So they're dating?"

I shake my head, "No."

"Then they're best friends?"

"No. In that aspect, they hate each other."

"Then what does that make them? Enemies or lovers or…" He looked bewildered by the entire situation.

I chuckle, "It's makes them Naru-san and Mai." He's still slightly confused, but by the light that shines in his eyes, I think he understands most of it.

* * *

**Yasu's Point of View:**

We all arrived at the hospital just as Mai's ambulance is pulling up. They rush her in and I see the boss run after her. It seems that's all those two do now. Mai runs after Boss, while Boss runs after Mai.

_They just need to get to it already._

"We're here for Mai Taniyama." Ayako tells the front desk lady. She nods and gives us brief directions to the waiting room for ER patients, and then we go take a seat.

Haru sits next to Shuto and I smirk to myself. Haru is probably the most adorable twenty year old I've ever seen (even for a guy), and I think our manly Shuto seems to understand that.

We sit there for an hour. The next thing I know, we're allowed access to Mai's room. She's laying there in the hospital bed with bruises and millions of patches and band aids.

"Oh, Mai…" Madoka whispers, clutching her husbands arm as we stare at the fire cracker of SPR. Her heart monitor beeps loud and strong as we all stand there.

It's then that I notice the boss sitting next to her. He's in a small chair, face away from us but to Mai. Every time something happens to have him show emotion, he seems to just naturally hide it from others… except Mai.

_This is getting annoying._

"The doctor said that she's in a drug induced coma. Her ribs are bruised, and she has several lacerations all over her body. He'll be taking her off of the medicine, and then it's up to Mai when she wants to wake up." The boss sounded monotone as ever. Not one trace of any sorrow or worry in voice.

But I know better.

* * *

**Mai's Point of View:**

"Mai!" A voice says. I open my eyes to see happy blue eyes and a gentle smile shining back at me, "Thank God you're alright. The iron wouldn't let me link to you or Noll. I'm sorry."

I'm laying down on a flat surface that is neither warm nor cold. I'm in the never ending blackness that is my Astral Plane. This is basically a place in the very back of my mind. Gene stays here more often than not. The only other place he can actually go other than here is to look in to past occurrences for cases and stuff. I've never actually asked where that was, but I have the sneaking suspicion that I wouldn't want to know.

I grin, allowing him to help me up off of the ground when he offers his hand, "It's fine. I'll live."

His eyes flash a silver color for a second, before the normal blue returns, "I want to show you a few things while we have time, is that okay?" At my nod, Gene and the blackness around me disappear.

I'm standing in an orphanage. I'd know that looks of an orphanage no matter where I go. However, by the sight of the red, white, and blue flag, I seem to be in an American orphanage.

Around me is a deserted music room. It has one large piano that is covered in a white drape, but other than that, the room is bare with white walls and tall ceilings. A large brown door rests across the room from the piano.

I look up to see the door is suddenly open, and a small carbon copy of Naru is walking through, scowl and all. The little Naru has baby chunk on his cheeks and I can't help but grin.

_So Naru was a chunky kid._

**"Go away,"** Kid Naru hisses behind him, his American accent rather thick, **"Can't you leave me alone for ten minutes?"** Kid Naru is wearing holey jeans and a dark t-shirt. The ratty sneakers on feet add to my presumption that I'm defiantly in an orphanage.

**"I just want to hear you play."** A much more pleasant voice says. I see another copy of Naru come through the door, however, this one has a much more gentle nature to him. The only difference between him and the first copy is that this one is wearing a dark green t-shirt.

_This must be Kid Gene._

**"AJ, you're annoying."** Kid Naru hisses to his brother, not turning around once, just continuing his angry march to the piano.

**"I know."** Kid Gene says, following behind his brother much more calmly than I'd have thought,** "Just ignore me and play."**

**"I plan on it."**

The drape is jerked off of the piano and a beautiful black piano (that is obviously old but still gorgeous) appears. Kid Naru lifts up the key board cover, and places the folder that he'd been carrying in his hands on the music stand. After climbing up the stool, Kid Naru sits, and the next thing I know, the room is filled with beautiful notes. I can't see Naru, because he's facing away from me, but I'll be damned if he doesn't look serene.

Kid Gene is standing there quietly, watching his brother play the instrument. The song goes on for a few moments and I'm astonished that a kid could play like this. The two of them don't look any older than seven or eight.

The door opens and a sing song voice calls,** "EJ? AJ?"** A woman with beautiful blonde hair and bright green eyes peeks through the door. She smiles when she sees the two of them, "**I thought that was you playing, EJ. Why don't you two come with me and you can play with the rest of the kids outside?"**

**"No thank you."** Both of them say. I flinch.

_Geez. Creepy._

The woman sighs, **"Fine, but can Lucy stay with you? She doesn't want to play either."**

**"Sure."** The two of them say again, sounding in perfect unison with each other. That really is creepy.

A small girl with curly pig tails and a cut up yellow and pink dress slowly walks in the room. Her eyes are hidden by overly long bangs, and it seems she has natural blonde high lights in her light brown hair. She's timid and very meek, but the woman smiles at her before closing the door with a loud bang. All three of them are quiet before Kid Gene speaks up, **"Lucy, do you want to come watch?"**

The girl, Lucy, looks up through her bangs. Her eyes are a bright golden color. She bites her lip, before nodding mutely.

The scene changes and I'm standing in a dark hallway this time. I see Lucy standing in front of a door marked with a name plate that states 'AJ and EJ'. She looks a little bit older. Maybe twelve. Her hand raises to knock, but before she can, it swings open and Kid Naru is staring down at the meek girl with a scowl. He looks older too. Maybe twelve or thirteen.

Weren't the boys adopted around the age of twelve?

**"What do you want?"** He spats, sounding annoyed.

**"I-I—"** Lucy seems to try to come up with some articulate, but can't seem to think with Kid Naru's dark blue eyes.

**"Spit it out already."** Kid Naru snaps, **"If you're looking for my brother then he's not here. He's playing with some of the other kids out—"**

**"I'm looking for you, EJ."** Lucy says, her voice quiet, **"Would you help me please?"**

**"With what?"** Kid Naru says after a moment of hesitation. His arms are crossed over his chest, and he looks like a delinquent orphan.

_Stereotype._

Lucy pulls out a pink folder from behind her back with the word 'Science' written on it in a messy handwriting.

Kid Naru raises an eyebrow, before stepping aside and letting her in.

The scene changes again, and bother Naru and Gene have to be sixteen now. They're standing in a classroom by themselves quietly. Both of them have on a school uniform and have book sacks. The door opens and Lucy walks in. She looks like puberty did her well. Her awkward atmosphere is still present, but her hair is no longer frizzy, more like luscious brown and blind curls that compliment her golden eyes

**"Lucy."** The two boys say. She smiles and I see both of them smile back.

_Wait a minute… Naru, smiling?_

**"AJ, EJ. I missed you."** She runs forward and hugs both of them at the same time, **"I'm glad you met me."**

**"What are you doing in England?"** Gene asks, still holding on to her as Naru sits by himself on top of a desk.

**"I've gotten a scholarship to the school. I'll be coming here until we all graduate."** Lucy looks so happy.

**"Great."** Naru says,** "Now I have to hear about you two acting like idiots all of the time."**

**"Hey!"** Gene says playfully,** "We're in love, Noll. Can't help that."** He reaches down and kisses Lucy on her lips. Naru glares at them, and I get the feeling that he's jealous.

The scene changed again, and Lucy is standing in the hallway with Naru. Naru looks annoyed and Lucy is crying.

**"I'm sorry, EJ."** Lucy sobs, **"I can't help who I love…"**

**"Don't give me that shit."** Naru spats at her, "**it should be me you love, Lucy. I'm the one who always saved you from the other kids at the orphanage. What makes Gene so great?"**

**"You two shouldn't be fighting over me,"** Lucy sobs.

**"Don't change the subject!"** Lucy flinches when Naru yells. Even I get a little bit scared. It's not often Naru feels the need to raise his voice.

**"He's so gentle, EJ."** Lucy says, sniffling and wiping her eyes, **"He's sweet and kind. He smiles. I can't help that I love him for it, EJ."**

**"You don't love me because I don't smile?"** Naru sounds hysterical now, **"I can smile!"** Naru smiles beautifully, but it's not real. To anyone else it might have been, but to me it's not.

It seems it's the same way for Lucy,** "You aren't smiling, EJ. You're just changing your facial expression. The smile isn't real."**

**"Who cares?"** Naru growls, **"All that matters is that I love you and you're choosing my brother."**

**"EJ, stop it!"** Lucy is angry now, **"That's your brother! I won't have the two of you fighting over me!"** She turns and runs away from him.

Naru doesn't go after her.

_'Last one...' _Gene's voice whispers in my head and the scene changes.

Naru and Gene are standing side by side in a church. Luella and Martin are next to them with solemn expressions, but what really gets me are the boys' expressions.

Both of them are glaring at the coffin that rests at the front of the pews.

Lucy lays in the coffin with a white dress on. Her small hands grasp white lilies, and to be honest, even in death she's beautiful. She looks utterly content. No longer the restless or sorrowful girl I saw just a few moments ago.

"This is what happens when we fall in love." Gene murmurs, speaking in Japanese this time, looking more angry at himself than anything.

Naru wears the same expression, "We can't fall in love ever again. With the same girl, or a different one."

"I agree." Gene says.

Naru sighs, and everyone begins to leave. Naru walks up to the coffin, and places a gentle kiss on Lucy's lips, "I'll never love anyone else."

And my heart shatters.

* * *

**Yasu's Point of View:**

We've all been sitting in the room for six hours. SPR will be closed down until Mai wakes up, because we all refuse to leave her side. Boss hasn't gotten up once since we all got here, not to get tea, read a book, or even use the bathroom. He just keeps watching Mai, as if silently encouraging her to wake up.

All of a sudden, the steady _beep beep beep _of Mai's heart minister changes to a _beeeeeeeeeeeeep._

"No!" Ayako yells, standing up and throwing open the door, "Quick! She's flat lining!"


End file.
